I want to be Near you always
by Ryoshu Kin
Summary: Three years later... L didn't die, and he's determined to save Light. Mello and Matt team up with Near to help him, and Another Kira makes an appearance. LXL, MxMxN M for lang. and later content yaoi
1. Chapter 1

I want to be Near you Always

I am aware that the time frame is off, but it is that way intentionally... I've changed the coarse of events (slightly) to make the plot of my fanfiction run more smoothly. This is not a tragedy unless you're a huge Misa fan. And I've tried very hard to keep everyone in character, please note that a person's nature is subject to change with the situation and small details give away so very much about a person. I did my best to profile the characters of Death Note as though they were real people, And I tried hard not to "Overwrite" any particular characteristic, (ex. Mello being angry; Yes, he lets his emotions get away with him, but it isn't just anger. All of his emotions are openly displayed, although you see anger the most because, honestly, who wouldn't be angry in his situation. I'd almost diagnose him as being manic-depressive.) Feel free to review, I'll answer any questions or complaints you may have... Also, please forgive me for Matt's characterization, he wasn't in the manga nearly long enough. (I lurve you Matt!!!) And I'm really sorry for the long intro. I wanted to get that out of the way, cause it was bothering me.

I don't own Death Note, but I really want Mello's pants!

Warning: Yaoi, a Threesome, and cake.

some mild OOCness, or not.

Near x Mello x Matt

L x Light

Yay!

Near hated Matt... with a passion... Oh no... Cool, calm Near would never show it, but every time he saw Matt talking calmly with his fiery, brash Mello, he wanted to wrap his pale hands around the tech junkie's throat and choke the life out of him. Mello was civil to Matt; they talked, they joked, they treated each other like human beings, whereas Mello treated Near like an alien, and because Mello did, so did Matt.

It wasn't even that he didn't like Matt, he would be content to share if the techie would only let him warm himself by the fire that was Mello. He never understood why Mello saw him as competition, it wasn't like he was trying to take away Mello's glory, he was just doing what he was good at.

What Mello didn't understand was how envious Near was of him. Mello had friends, and followers. He was a glowing being who attracted people with his natural fire while Near remained cold and invisible to everyone. In that way they were equals, Near saw it, but Mello refused to see it that way.

As for Matt, Near liked him well enough. He was always just inside of Mello's glow, like a good shadow. Near was a shadow too, but he was a shadow in his own light; he eclipsed himself. Always alone... people looked up to him, but they couldn't seem to see the person behind the genius. Maybe that was how L felt. Near cast a glance toward the allegedly deceased detective as he sat curled up in the usual fashion on the couch, eating cake.

Near had noticed the changes in L almost immediately. He didn't eat as much, and he always seemed to have a faraway look that was never there before. And he slept... a lot...

"This is about Light Yagami, isn't it?" Near asked once again, but for the first time since L wandered in, looking battered and half-starved, the World's Greatest Detective gave him an answer.

"He is Kira, and I love him. Even knowing he is Kira and that he tried to kill me, I want to save him... I'm sure you understand, Near-kun."

Near glanced at the image of Mello on the monitor screen and nodded slightly. Even this broken, half-hearted L was better than no L at all and Light Yagami could fix L, bring back the L he'd idolized as a child, Near was sure of it. The only difficulty, it seemed, would be getting Light to give up the Death Note. According to L, after he gave it up, Light wouldn't remember being Kira at all and he'd go back to being the self-righteous boy L loved so much.

It was easier said than done... To accomplish the all but unattainable goal, Near knew they'd need Mello's help. He just had to phrase it right...

The phone rang exactly five times before Mello answered. "What do you want?"

"We need your help..." Near said coolly.

"We?"

"L and myself..."

"You're working with _him_?" Mello practically spat.

"The real L. " Near disguised his elation perfectly.

"He's alive?" Near could hear the thread of hope working its way into Mello's tone. In the background he could just pick up Matt's voice, "Who's alive? Mello? Wait up; let me save the game!"

Judging by his arrival time, Near estimated that Mello must have broken the speed limit by at least 50 mph. The brash blonde stormed into the building past the swat team without even looking at them. The only thing that kept them from shooting him was Near's order to let him in.

Matt was smarter, or maybe he just had better survival instinct, because he hesitated in the door and entered with his hands up. "I'm with the blonde hurricane... You didn't shoot him, don't shoot me, okay?"

Mello was making progress, Near observed, but he was still having trouble navigating the labyrinth of rooms within rooms L had built. Near suspected the sheer genius of it was inspired by his desire to survive long enough to save Light. Even the pale boy had to memorize the blueprint before L burned it or he would have gotten lost going to the bathroom. L's design put the mythological Labyrinth to shame... But Mello, by skill or sheer determination, managed to navigate it and find the room they were waiting in.

Mello caught sight of L and Near could feel the tension in the air for a full five seconds before Mello threw himself at L. Near couldn't blame him, he'd been tempted to do the same thing. Mello's shining gold hair contrasted greatly against L's coal colored tresses; they made a beautiful picture for the split second they embraced, then L held Mello back by his shoulders.

"You're grown... Both of you have... Perhaps you should go retrieve your unfortunate friend before we have this reunion?"

"Matt? Shit!" Mello exclaimed, and it pleased Near in some small way that Mello hadn't even thought of Matt when he rushed off. Matt appeared to have given up, and was sitting against a wall playing his PSP, probably waiting for Mello.

Half an hour later everyone congregated in the same room for a conference. Mello sat as close to L as he could without arousing suspicion so Near imitated him on the other side and the three stared intently at the object L had just revealed.

"A Death Note? You had one all this time?" Mello asked, but his tone was subdued. Near knew Mello wouldn't question L, even though it shocked him too.

"Yes, Ran-san has been very helpful." L's praise seemed to please the Shinigami hovering at the other side of the table and a grin broke on its... lips? Near wasn't sure lips was the correct word... Mello had lips... Soft and full and pink; the Shinigami, on the other hand, had a nice size hole in its face where a mouth should be... And fangs. Near had nightmares like this when he was a child... He never imagined anything so frightening could be real...

Much to Near's comfort; Mello took his chocolate out of his mouth and observed the creature as if he expected it to ooze on him. At least he wasn't the only one disturbed... Mello didn't put his chocolate aside for many things... Near almost... almost laughed when Mello intoned, "Was your mommy the mummy?"

"Don't make me write your name..." Ran muttered darkly, lifting a long clawed talon to caress along Mello's jaw. Near noticed that both he and Matt tensed, ready to act if the shinigami tried to hurt Mello. It made him respect Matt a bit more. L on the other hand looked perfectly calm, like he'd seen it all already.

Mello gave a shudder, which Near assumed was in disgust, and said "It feels like a dead fish! Tell it not to touch me!"

"Ran-san is a terrible exhibitionist... She can't seem to resist..." L's voice was neutral, but the shinigami looked ashamed of herself and let go of Mello's chin, slinking back to her place.

Near hesitantly reached over and wiped Mello's face with his sleeve... "I wouldn't want Ran to touch me either..." He whispered hoping to appease Mello.

Mello contemplated Near like he'd never seen him before, then lowered his gaze and said something that must have been very hard for him. "Thank you...Near."

Something between them changed in that instant, but Near wasn't sure yet what it was... the silence seemed to drag on onto eternity and when Ran finally spoke, Matt jumped...

"So, what's the plan? I can't do anything 'till you humans make up your minds..."

"Why don't all the creepy-as-hell fuckers leave the room until the normal people come up with a plan?" Mello growled.

"After you..." Ran shot back, motioning to the door...

A glaring match ensued...

Near decided it was very likely that someone would die if things kept going like this, so he broke the tension quietly, "Mello, I was hoping to get your opinion on the situation... For L's sake, we must stop 'Kira' without hurting him... You already managed to take the Death Note from him once, how do we do it again?"

It might have been Near's imagination, but Mello seemed to glow for a second before a nasty smirk took it's place... "You admit you can't do it without my help?"

Near blinked unemotionally, weighing his options as he pulled a transformer from his pocket... Mello had a tendency to take things the wrong way, so he went with what was perhaps his best option... "Please, Mello..."

Mello looked taken aback; Near hadn't admitted defeat, he'd simply placed them on even ground, equals... "Okay, fine, since you said please... We can't do the same thing... This time he'll have to want to give it up..."

"Mind games?" Near asked.

"Exactly... What do you think is the one thing that would scare 'Kira'?"

"L..."

"Right, so here's the plan..." As Mello spoke, Near wondered how they'd gone from threatening and backstabbing, to planning together... understanding perfectly what the other was thinking... Perhaps the earlier shift, if one could call it that, had aligned them into what they should be... But what, exactly, should they be?

"We send L out to places Light is likely to be... And make damn sure Light recognizes him..."

"Only glimpses at first?" Near queried, testing his own understanding of Mello's plan.

"For a while, then L will slip him a message..." Mello continued Near's thought.

"In icing..." Matt added without looking up from his game, Near turned to him curiously and Mello turned as well, but Matt continued anyway... "You want to make sure he knows it really is L, right? How many people know about L's sweet tooth?"

"Okay then, we'll use red icing, it doesn't have to be pretty, we only need one letter to get the point across..." Mello went on, accommodating Matt's idea into the plan so flawlessly that Near just had to smile... They really were very bright.

Mello seemed to stop breathing for a split second, which worried Near, but he picked back up on his thoughts after a brief pause... "Any suggestions, Near? Matt?"

"What do we do after that?" Matt asked, looking back and forth between Mello and Near. Matt wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but then again, this box only had the very brightest crayons so he wasn't dim either Near reasoned. In truth, Near knew that Matt was as smart as Mello and himself, Matt just didn't care.

"Depending on his reactions, it seems we could go one of two ways..." Near began.

Mello finished for him, "We could use guilt or threats..."

"We could send a message in the same fashion, one letter at a time..." Near reasoned...

"Or we could have L call him..." Mello suggested... a bit of roguish humor tinted his voice for all to hear...

"It would certainly clear him of suspicion if he had a heart attack." Matt stated blandly and Mello had the audacity to laugh.

"He would definitely be shocked to get a call from the other side. It could go something like, 'We're out of cake down here, mind picking some up before you come next week?' Can you imagine his face?"

"A call from L would put pressure on him from his team, we could use it as a last resort..." Near continued; this new, more open side of Mello was surprisingly charming but it also lead him to suspect that Mello was crashing from his usual caffeine high... He hadn't touched his chocolate since Ran entered the room...

As if on cue, Mello picked up the forgotten Hershey bar and took a bite. "We could have L touch him with his Death Note, and then Ran can deliver our messages."

"We'll do it at the same time as our first message..." Near realized that he and Mello were contributing evenly, while L had yet to make a comment either for or against their plan. That was enough to make Near look toward his idol. He recognized the look of pride L now wore as the one he had worn when they were young and either Near or Mello did something particularly noteworthy. So L was proud that they were working so well together? Maybe that was what he wanted all along.

Mello seemed to notice to and he nodded to Near, "We'll use Matt to set up surveillance equipment, if he can put down that damn game that long."

It amused Near how Matt sulked when Mello reprimanded him; it was cute. Matt even put the game down and joined the meeting after that.

The three of them worked well together, Near realized as they laid down the last of their plans, and Matt was appealing in a sarcastic, joking way. Maybe it was his influence that caused Mello to lighten up. Thus, sixteen Hershey bars, two renovated dice cities, and four new high scores later they were ready to put their plan into action. The only problem was that it was midnight and Light would most likely be asleep, so they decided by mutual consensus that they could do no more and that they had earned a good night's sleep. Thus the three sleepy teenagers and the twenty-eight year old insomniac traipsed off to bed.

I have four chapters done, but I want to know what everyone thinks before I post more. good or bad, please review and tell me...,


	2. Chapter 2

If I owned Death Note, If I did, it might go like this

Thank you soooo much to everyone who reviewed. This is for you.

The next morning Near woke up feeling cozy and unusually safe. Something warm and heavy was resting on his chest and he was vaguely aware of being held onto. His deep eyes cracked open slowly to look from Mello at his right side to Matt who was using him as a pillow... Vaguely he wondered why Mello was holding onto him so very tight. Mello muttered something in his sleep and nuzzled closer, his warm breath on Near's neck causing a pleasant shiver.

It was really rather amusing; Mello had given up the big rivalry, so apparently he felt compelled to argue with Near over which bed he slept in. Mello ended up in bed with him after he apparently couldn't make up his mind, and Matt went where Mello went, so he ended up in the bed too.

Near smiled at the satisfying feel of Mello's bare stomach on his hand where it was trapped between Matt and Mello... He brought his free hand up to see if Mello's hair was really as soft as it looked... Mello himself looked soft to Near in that vulnerable moment... As he petted sun-light hair that was pleasantly silky under his fingers, he considered his own vulnerability last night... Mello could have done him serious harm, but instead he held him close.

Near jumped a little in surprise when Mello's fingers closed around his hand and brought it down to rub against his scarred cheek. "Kira and I are alike, we each paved our road in blood..." The fallen blonde murmured, "How is it... That we still have people to come back to?" Mello had such a fragile look on his face... he almost looked like he was seeking redemption...

Near couldn't keep from wrapping his arms around him. "The people who love you will always forgive you..."

Mello pressed his face to the side of Near's neck and made a sound like a whimper. Near felt the warmth of tears against his shoulder and rubbed Mello's back soothingly as Mello's arms tightened around him as well...

Matt stirred and looked up, reaching up to comfort Mello as well, but other than the small movements the stillness remained unbroken as Mello's tears washed away the pain of the past.

After a time Near wiped those precious tears from Mello's cheeks with his fingertips, then brought them to his own lips to lick away. "Are you feeling better?"

Mello nodded sedately and kissed Near softly on the cheek before climbing out of the bed...

By the time everyone showered and gathered in the main room to work, Mello seemed to be feeling better...

When Matt was ready to go set up the surveillance equipment, Mello pulled him close and kissed him chastely on the lips, "Be careful."

Matt nodded and turned to go, but before he reached the door Near drew him aside and kissed his cheek. "Good luck."

If one of them died today, Near mused, at least they would have a few precious moments together to hold onto... But it might never be enough... He wanted to tell them both how he felt for them, but he wasn't sure himself... so he remained silent as Matt walked away, perhaps for the last time.

For a long moment, neither Near nor Mello moved, then Mello gathered himself and turned toward the computers, "Come on, Near. These records won't check themselves."

The spell was broken and Near returned to his computer as well. They worked in silence, the only sound the tapping of the keys, for nearly an hour, then typing from Mello's computer stopped. "Near, look at this..."

"What is it Mello?" Near asked, he had to admit, he was curious to know what caught Mello's attention.

"I'm looking at a recent string of deaths in Ontario. All of them are school age girls, between 13 and 18, all wearing cheerleading uniforms at the time of death. There are two things that stand out. One, they were all raped, and two, they all died of suffocation." Mello stated coolly, but Near could see him fidgeting with his chocolate, desperate to put it back in his mouth, perhaps. Chocolate, after all, was Mello's comfort food.

"Mello, as horrific as that is, it could be any criminal. What makes you think it's Kira-related?" Near asked placidly.

"There were no marks on the bodies. One girl died of an asthma attack, one choked on coffee at the police station trying to report the rape, one had a punctured lung, and one drowned... in a two inch deep puddle... Tell me that doesn't sound like the work of someone with a Death Note." Mello's voice was raising, showing his level of stress. He was also taking large bites out of his chocolate, which told Near that he was probably very mad.

Near knew he had to diffuse the situation, or it was likely that the shaky new bond between them could shatter, and it helped that he thought Mello was right about this. "Okay, Mello, you're probably right. We'll look into it as soon as we stop Light..."

What Mello would have done, Near never found out, because the phone rang and the blonde jumped like he'd been burned. Near suspected that he might have even lunged for the receiver if he hadn't picked it up first.

It was Light, "Near, Misa's dead."

"Dead?" Near caught Mello mouth "Matt?" and shook his head.

"She died of a heart attack this morning..."

"I thought Misa was fairly healthy... I never read anything about a heart condition, are you suggesting Kira got to her?"

"Stop accusing me, Near. Why would I kill my own fiancee?" Light interjected, his tone sounded angry to Near.

"To avoid being caught... Probably..." The pale boy responded easily and was unsurprised to hear the Click that signaled the end of their conversation.

The two boys sat in silence for a long awkward moment, then Mello took Near off guard by breaking off a piece of his chocolate and offering it to him. "You look paler than usual... You thought it was Matt too..."

Near nodded... "I... don't want to lose him, either. It would hurt to lose either of you."

Mello smiled softly at Near and held the chocolate to his mouth, causing him to blush as he parted his lips to accept the sweet. He was surprised and pleased by the unaccustomed kindness the blonde displayed. Mello's fingers brushed over his bottom lip as he moved back and Near found he couldn't suppress a small shiver.

The moment was over all too soon, interrupted by the intercom clicking on. "Near, Mello, Matt has returned. He's on his way up." One of the team members, unidentifiable due to static, announced just as Matt himself walked through the door into the room. He looked exhausted; his shirt was torn and there was a cut under his left eye.

"Matt, what happened?" Mello asked, moving to cradle Matt as he sank down into his arms.

"I got in some fucking Kira-worshipper's way and he ran me off the road."

Near wasn't entirely surprised at how tender Mello could be as he nuzzled Matt's neck and kissed his ear. He'd never seen this side of the blond, but he knew it was there. Mello was too alive and emotional to be without a loving side.

Matt settled more firmly in Mello's arms and motioned Near to sit with himself and Mello on the floor. After a moments hesitation, Near settled into their arms and they sat in comfortable silence for a long time.

The next thing Near knew he was waking up curled up in Mello's lap on the couch with Matt stroking his hair. "You fell asleep." Matt informed him; he barely looked up from his game but his voice was gentle. He had Mello's leather jacket and one of the blond's arms draped around his bare shoulders.

"Are you feeling better, Matt." He asked, truly concerned.

"He's fine," Mello smirked and pointed to the band-aid on Matt's face. "Lidner even got him a 'Transformers' band-aid for his boo-boo."

Near wasn't entirely sure what to think of the fact that his task force bought him cartoon band-aids but he didn't really have time to ponder it as Matt leaned in close. "Mello kissed it better for me, will you?" He said, then grinned like he won the lottery when Near actually kissed his cheek; perhaps he to was capable of love. He loved them both; Mello and Matt were his lifelines. "My chest kinda hurts too..."

"Matt, stop with the pitiful attempts to pick up Near." Mello snapped, "Save it."

Near really loved Mello when he was mad. The violence of his expression always made the pale boy feel so alive. It was part of the reason he so often provoked Mello; he wanted to watch the emotions flow across those beautiful features. Unsurprisingly, Near still found him breathtaking, even with the scars.

With that realization, Near was able to do something he had always wanted to do. He kissed Mello... on the lips. One pale hand went to the unmarred flesh of Mello's right cheek while the other caressed along the burn scars of his left. He reveled in the contrasting textures; one side soft and smooth, the other hard and rough, much like Mello himself.

As he expected, Mello positively melted into the touch; only flinching a bit when Near first touched his scars. His lips were incredibly soft and willing as Near coaxed him, brushing their mouths together again and again. Mello's eyes fluttered closed, sunlight lashes kissing his cheeks. Slowly Near pulled back and gazed up at Mello, taking in again by his beauty as emotions played unrestrained across his face. He could feel himself melt.

"Don't be so jealous, Mello... I love you both equally..."

They might have sat like that on the over-stuffed leather couch staring at each other forever, Near's hand resting on Mello's scarred cheek, fingers caressing ever so slightly, but finally Mello spoke, "How long...?"

"Since the orphanage..." Near answered, "When I tried to be your friend..."

"I... I never knew..." Near had forgiven him long ago.

Through all this, Mello never moved away from Nears hands, but eventually he sighed and pulled away. "Where do we go from here?"

"You're a genius, Mello, figure it out..." Matt answered sarcastically, "I'll make it easy for you. Two guys like the same guy, who likes them in return, and they like each other... what's the logical solution if you subtract social constraints from the equation?"

Mello nodded... "So, it doesn't bother either of you to be a threesome?"

Both boys shook their heads no, then Near said softly, "That was my first kiss..." and that led to a long moment of awkward silence, broken by Matt.

"I want the second one!"

An hour later the sun was going down and Matt was no closer to that kiss. Almost as soon as he spoke, Lidner walked in to report. As it turned out, Light was on the move playing the part of the grieving fiance.

As the trio observed on monitor screens, the Yagami boy bought one hundred white roses and with tears in his eyes, delivered them in person to the funeral parlor. Near was disgusted how he fawned over the corpse of the woman he probably killed, sobbing unconvincing words of love that probably came from romance novels and tragedies that he'd watched. It almost looked scripted.

"Isn't that going a little overboard?" Matt wondered out loud, "He probably killed her, so why buy so many flowers?"

"I killed her..." Matt jumped and Mello spun to look at the shinigami who'd spoke. Things were beginning to get complicated.

"You did what?!" Mello growled, "Why? We might have been able to use her!"

"She was useless, and I didn't like her..." Ran shot back, "Besides, Rem deserved this; that sleazy little whore! She tried to kill my L!"

Lidner was watching Mello intently, with a worried look on her face, as he argued with what to her must have looked like empty space behind the sofa. Near was laying on his belly on the floor, playing with blocks, while all of this went on. Although he seemed preoccupied, he was listening intently and reasoning out logistics since the situation had changed. Also, he was mildly amused.

Now, considering the fact that Lidner hadn't touched Ran's Death Note, Near assumed that Mello must have looked like a raving lunatic to her at the moment, but he certainly didn't care. If she insisted on ignoring him, he'd simply let her draw her own conclusions.

Lidner had been giving him the cold shoulder ever since she walked in on him curled up in Mello's lap. Logic told Near that she was probably hurt, but even if her feelings were wounded, Mello had never showed any real interest in her so her actions weren't at all justified.

There was one conclusion, however, that he couldn't let her make assumptions about for the sake of their working relationship. "Lidner, Mello is blind in his left eye..."

He was referring to the incident she'd informed him of after Mello pulled a gun on him. The time Mello stood in the bathroom and talked to her while she showered. During that time Mello stood with his left side to her.

Lidner hesitated visibly for a moment as she absorbed that information.

"Please monitor Yagami, Lidner."

"Yes, Sir."

Near offered Lidner an escape, she took it, and everything was fine. No one had to admit that they were wrong and everything flowed smoothly for the next hour or so.

L even made a brief appearance on his way to get a cake from the kitchen. Apparently he'd noticed the same pattern as Mello and decided to investigate the "Canadian Kira" more thoroughly, since the plan was at a stand still. Things were the same as always. L still preferred to work alone, it seemed.

'Or maybe...' Near considered after L left, 'L only works alone because he can't work with the one person he really wants to work with.' And he felt slightly guilty for his own happiness as he watched a smiling Mello converse with Lidner and Matt. It must have felt so good to have his work praised and accepted by L, his idol.

The pale boy stood to join them, but stumbled when the entire room seemed to shift around him. He caught his balance quickly enough and continued as though nothing happened, but Mello's smile had vanished. The blond was now watching him intently, so Near had to work twice as hard to hide how bad he felt. If he didn't sit down soon he was going to throw up.

He found himself relieved immensely that Mello was so observant when his blond companion turned to him and said, "Near, I need to talk to you in private right now. Hal..." He didn't even need to finish, the lady agent was smart enough to know what was required of her. As soon as she left, Mello turned on Near. "How long have you been sick? Did it even occur to you to tell someone?"

"Mello..." Near began to rationalize, but the blond cut him off.

"I understand you need to stay strong for your team, but that's a damn lot to put on someone so frail. Near, you're sick. You're no good dead." Suddenly Mello was holding him and he didn't have the slightest clue what happened. "Near, Dammit, you're burning up. I'm putting you to bed. Matt, get some cold medicine."

Thanxes again, tell me how I'm doing


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own Death Note, I would eat Mello's chocolate and get shot viciously.

Thank you so so so much to everyone who reviewed so far. You make me want to post faster. I'm so glad you like it. Also, I'm not trying to sell you on any religion in this chapter, Mello wears a rosary/cross, thus he believed in God at some point and perhaps still does. Simple logic. I mean no offense. Also, I don't know any more than you about Near's past, but he has "Victim Behavior". He acts completely sealed off from everyone, and he plays with toys almost obsessively. Such behavior is common in people who experienced an extremely traumatic event at a very young age. I made up something Traumatic... Please enjoy...

Much to Mello's chagrin, Near was worse the next morning. The pale boy had been in and out all night, but the fever was slowly increasing and Mello couldn't wake him up. It was starting to look bad.

"Matt, go get some ice..." The Mello was beyond ordering, at this point it was more like pleading. He was exhausted in a way that had nothing to do with the body. Sure he claimed he hated Near, but he never imagined that his beloved rival might actually die. Near was fucking immortal, he couldn't die. After all of this, it would be such a horrible waste.

It wasn't the same to become number one this way. If Near died, he failed, and he'd feel guilty for the rest of his short, painful life. He would have Matt, but he wouldn't feel complete. Matt was like his right arm, he helped him achieve his goals, but Near was his eyes, he was the one who showed him those goals to begin with. He'd be useless without either one of them.

Near looked almost like he could simply fade away; white against the white of the sheets, he looked incredibly fragile to Mello. When Matt got back with several bags of ice, he was sure he'd never been so relieved in his life.

"We don't want to lose you, either..." He murmured as he ran an ice-pack over the sick boy's face.

"Cold..." When Near's eyes fluttered open, Mello was so relieved he could barely stay sitting. It seemed that Near's fever had spiked and now he was getting better. Slowly the blond sunk down to lay next to the pale boy; finally he could relax...

"Are you going to be okay now?" He asked. He was trying for menacing, but he came off as worried, which was exactly how he felt.

Near's response irked him to no end. "You shouldn't have bothered, I'm not worth that much..." The blond positively refused to let him finish that sentence.

"You're ours now. Sorry, but you're stuck with us and we aren't going to lose you to anything, especially not a fucking cold." It wasn't said, but the knowledge that it could have been Kira hung in the silence that followed.

"Thank you..." Near finally whispered, wrapping his arms around Mello, "I owe you one..."

"Hey, do you owe me one, too?" Matt asked.

"You too..." Near admitted, reaching out to Matt. Mello wanted to smile at the display. Both of them were his... He had what he wanted.

Matt was kissing Near's cheeks and lips gently, and Near had an adorably dazed look on his face. "We were so worried about you..." He murmured between kisses.

Mello couldn't help wondering why more people didn't have two lovers; it was so hot watching them together. Matt was kissing Near passionately while Near whimpered, helpless.

Matt pulled away, licking a trail of saliva off of Near's chin.

"Matt, now you'll get sick..." Near protested belatedly, pushing away from the red-head and falling awkwardly onto they bed. It was apparent that he wasn't feeling one-hundred percent just yet. It amused Mello.

"Let him rest, Matt." He ordered; now that Near seemed to be doing better, he felt better too. Matt rubbed Near's neck and shoulders as he drifted off with soft moans and a blissful look on his face.

"Thank you..." Near whispered softly, half asleep as cuddled into Mello's arms.

"You said that already..." Mello informed him. "Just get better... The faster you do, the more chance there is that we'll all survive..."

At noon, a knock at the door woke Mello up, but since he couldn't crawl out from under Matt and Near without waking them, he didn't bother to try... If the SPK saw them like that, it wasn't his problem, and if they didn't approve, well, too fucking bad. They'd get over it.

After a few more hesitant knocks, then one of the men, Mello didn't care enough to remember his name, spoke through the door. "Mello, where is Near? You have five minutes to open the door or we'll come in with our weapons drawn."

He prodded Matt. "Wake up, Dumb-ass... Go open the door."

Matt just groaned and rolled off the bed, stalking across the room in his boxers. When he opened the door, the man on the other side...Rester?... paused and looked around with a clearly uncomfortable look on his face. "What have you done to Near?" he demanded, which agitated Mello to no end.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, but since you're here you can go heat up some chicken broth. Near needs all the help he can get to get over this cold."

Rester nodded and ducked out the door. All good dogs need someone to tell them what to do. If Near couldn't give orders, his dogs barked for Mello.

By the time Rester came back, Mello had roused Near and pulled him into a semi-upright position. "Did you get the soup?" He asked.

"Yes... Sir..." Now that was the kind of respect that Mello liked. Rester learned quickly; it made him valuable, prolonged his life.

"Did you bring some bread, or crackers to dip in it. You don't expect Near to live on broth alone do you?" He was comfortable handing out orders like he had in the mafia; people knew who was in charge that way.

Surprisingly, Rester had thought of that. Mello wasn't nearly as impressed when the much older man confessed that Lidner told him to bring the bread. Mello had stayed at her apartment, after all. She would know what he ate with soup.

Mello waved a dismissive hand toward the door as he prodded Near back to consciousness. "I have something for you to eat... Open your mouth."

Near recoiled, cowered against Mello for a moment, causing the blond to wonder for the first time just what hidden pain had caused Near to go inside himself. Were painful memories replaying in his fever-induced dreams?

Mello's eyes widened in horror when Near started crying. "Near... Wake up... Shhh, Don't cry..."

"Don't..." The pale boy whimpered in his half-sleep state, trying to wrench out of Mello's arms.

"Near... It's just me... I won't do anything..." Mello tried to sooth him. Matt broke off a piece of Mello's chocolate and ran it along Near's lower lip.

The pale boy calmed almost immediately, looking up with tear-filled eyes. "Mello?"

"It's okay now. Here, eat some soup." The blonde prompted as he retrieved the bowl from the bedside table, a black lacquered Japanese-style piece of work, dipped a chunk of bread in the broth, and offered it to Near, who ate it carefully. The boy didn't have to explain what happened to him before Whammy's, Mello understood. "You wanna talk about it?"

Near hid his face in Matt's chest, his voice coming weak and scared. "He... My father... He wanted me to... to..." Near trailed off, looking up, and Mello nodded. He knew what Near meant. "I was only five... I didn't understand... Then my mother came in... She told him to leave me alone. He beat her up and made her suck his... his..."

"You don't have to say it..." Matt whispered and Near nodded.

"He slit her throat while she did it... I was scared... I tried to run. He stabbed me... Started a fire... Then he stabbed himself... I don't remember what happened after that... I woke up in the hospital."

Mello felt cold hate boil in his blood. A stranger could hurt you, and you might get over it, but when people who're supposed to love you hurt you, it changes you. You're never the same.

Empty promises and lies were stupid, so he gave Near the best thing he could. "He's dead... anyone hurts you again and I'll do my best to make them just as dead, Okay?"

Near nodded. "Thank you, Mello... I need you."

That was the nicest thing Near had ever said to him. Mello's chest felt strangely warm. He'd made an outlaw's promise, and he'd keep it if it killed him.

Around five, Mello decided to go talk to L. "Matt, Watch over Near. Don't fail me." He warned as he slipped carefully out of the bed. Matt saluted with his Gameboy, and Mello shook his head. Some things never change. He kissed Matt chastely and moved to leave, but Matt pulled him back.

"You know things that don't move bore me to tears. At least give me a proper thank you..." He murmured against Mello's lips.

Mello sighed. "Matt..." he muttered with a soft growl. Sometimes he liked it when Matt was dominant, but today he had things he needed to do. "Don't be a horn-dog. I'm tired." But he kissed him anyway, long and sweet, before he yanked away and stalked out of the room. He looked back once he was out the door to see Matt collapsed on the white sheets, touching his lips and blushing... Just like old times...

At L's room, Mello stopped short. It was so much different from the sterile black and white of the other rooms, instead it had a soft gold rug and brown leather couches against the wall. The bed, with it's dark-red sheets, looked untouched. The room had a warm feel, but hardly homey. He had to scan the room twice before he spotted L curled up in one of a pair of high-backed mahogany chairs working on a laptop.

He walked over and pulled up the other chair. "Can I talk to you, L?"

L sat the computer aside and fixed Mello with an intent stare. "Yes, Mello?"

"What are you working on?" Mello asked.

"I was going over the information you found... The Canadian Kira... I'll have everything in order for you once you finish up here..." L spoke softly, turning the computer so Mello could see the carefully arranged rows of information. "The girls all match your profile... Young, blonde, similar body type... Friends and family say they were confident and outgoing, they loved the spotlight. Most of them had medium length hair... The chances of the Canadian Kira targeting you is more than 62 if you dress as a cheerleader and infiltrate the school."

Mello sat stalk-still for a long moment, then he considered it. It wasn't as though the idea hadn't occurred to him but... "What about my scars?"

"The scars are easy to cover if you have the proper resources. There is a make-up artist I worked with on previous cases, she could completely change the shape of your face. Please consider it, Mello, it is probably the fastest way to end this case." L explained, stuffing a strawberry into his mouth as he spoke.

Mello nodded, unwrapping a chocolate bar and biting into it. "If you think it'll work, I'll do it..." He conceded, "I think that Misa's death should speed our investigation. It has Light spooked. He might be more willing to work with us now."

The change in L's mood was almost instantaneous. His shoulders slouched more than usual and he lost interest in his sweets, sitting them aside. Mello felt almost guilty but his intention from the start had been to steer the conversation in this direction. He had to know if L could see Light without falling apart. "Matt's going with you tomorrow.

If anything goes wrong, he'll pull you out. Will you be okay?"

"Mello, have you ever known me to lose my nerve on a case?" L asked calmly.

"Not until this one..."Mello answered, rising to leave. "Be brave, Lawliet, We'll get him back."

Sleep didn't come easy that night for Mello. Even with Near curled safe in his arms and Matt at his back, he couldn't help being afraid. Before it didn't matter if he went down in flames, but it was different now. If he lost this time, he would drag them down with him to hell, and he didn't want to do that.

He hadn't believed in God for years; if He existed, He wasn't listening to his voicemail very often. Suddenly, though, Mello found himself hoping that God would grant him a miracle just this once. For the first time since his parents died, Mello prayed to anyone who was listening that they would make it through this alive.

The fear melted away and he was finally able to sleep.

Thank you again, to my reviewers.

IndigoChan

greypenink

RavenFireAmari

Serria

Lamarquis

silver fox of shadows

Sacred Phoenix Of Nephthys

pockylover123

I hope you enjoyed this chapter too...


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own Death Note.

Sorry It took so long to update... I was looking for my old history notes on the USSR. (I'm a horrible pack-rat.)

The loose ends in Death Note are tied up tighter than the Gordian Knot, but I found an interesting one. Why does Lidner look -and act- so much like Mello? Does anyone, besides me, think they could be related? Please let me know what you think.

Thank you to my wonderful reviewers. I'm so glad you like it.

This chapter contains phone sex and my version of Mello's past. It's the best explanation I can offer for his characterization. There's also some angsty L x Light. And mild Gevanni teasing. (I won't say bashing because I like Gevanni, I just needed someone to pick on and he seemed like the one who'd be easily disturbed. I might hook Gevanni up with Matsuda or Lidner... The completely unheard-of pairings. Poor Gevanni is the most ignored character of Death Note.)

I don't know Matt's real eye color. I'm guessing based on his hair.

A fun fact for you... Mihael is an angel name.

Enjoy the story.

Mello woke up feeling sore and exhausted, having slept poorly the previous night. Near was just coming out of the bathroom when he finally coaxed his eyes open. He was wearing Mello's robe and the black satin contrasted nicely against his pale skin.

"Good morning, Mello. I couldn't find my robe..." He actually sounded apologetic, like it would mortally offend Mello to see such a nice sight so early in the morning.

"If you feel bad, take it off. I won't mind..." Matt muttered as he sat up next to Mello, rubbing his eyes. "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven, cause you're pretty enough to be an angel."

Near blushed and Mello grinned. "You look good in my robe... Can I talk you out of it?" The blush got worse and Mello almost laughed. Matt wasn't the only one who could use cheesy pick-up lines... The two shared a grin. There was an unspoken agreement between them. The mission; make Near's face match Matt's hair. Of coarse, this eventually lead to an all out pick-up line match that ended with all three of them on the floor laughing.

"Is it hot in here, or is it just you?" Matt asked Mello between laughs and Mello smirked.

"It's just me, Pumpkin... You know you want this." He sneered, patting his ass as he got up to get his shower. He knew that particular nickname irritated Matt to no end.

"You know I do, Sunshine..." Matt shot back, his eyes fixed squarely on the blonde's body, leering. Mello couldn't stand being called Sunshine, it was too girly. As if to add insult to injury Matt started whistling "You Are My Sunshine" out of tune.

Near looked purely amused, even Mello could see it... Just wait until he realized how far that robe had slipped...

Mello came out of the shower half an hour later, black towel draped around his waist, to find Matt and Near sitting on the floor, playing with Leggos. They had already constructed what looked suspiciously like the front end of a red Corvette at a third of life size.

Matt looked up at him and grinned. "If I tell you that you have a nice body, will you hold it against me?"

Near snickered, holding a sleeve-covered hand over his mouth.

"I'll hold it against both of you just as soon as we bring Kira in..." Mello answered in his best bedroom voice.

Near's eyes darkened and Mello knew... Even Near had desires, and he was on that list...

Matt pulled out his cell phone and hit a button. A minute later Mello's cell rang and he answered it without thinking. "Ya?"

"Hey, Mello, I want phone sex while I'm in the shower..." Matt snickered, "Pretty please."

Mello flipped the phone shut and gave Matt a look. "You're going to jack off in Near's shower?" He asked incredulously, he should have known better than to ask.

"Of coarse I am, so talk dirty for me, Mello..."

"No..." Was Mello's cool response.

He would have been able to keep his resolve if Near didn't hug him from behind and whisper, "Please, Mello..." directly in his ear with a soft huff of breath.

That was enough, his resolve crumbled. "Put your phone on speaker so it doesn't get wet..."

Matt punched the air victoriously and swaggered into the bathroom. Mello heard the water turn on, then his cell phone rang again. He answered it.

"What do you want to do to me, Babe?" Matt asked, his voice was huskier than usual...

"You're already touching yourself..." Mello accused, gaining a breathy, nervous laugh from Matt. "Don't make me have to punish you... Put your hands against the wall..."

"Okay. They're on the wall, what now?" Matt sounded unsure.

"Put the phone on speaker." Near told Mello too cooly, like he was fighting himself. Mello understood it now, so he didn't mind it as much. Before he would have thought Near was just doing it to be a Bitch.

He hit the button for speakerphone and sat on his knees on the floor before he continued his conversation- if you could call it that- with Matt. "Now imagine my hands running down your back and over your ass, but don't move your hands off the wall. I'll tell you when you can touch yourself."

"Can I touch myself?" Near asked Mello. There was just a hint of teasing in it, but that seemed to be directed at Matt.

"You can touch yourself, Near. But, Matt, you're still not allowed." Mello instructed.

"Is Near really touching himself?" Matt asked, curiosity and lust thick on his voice.

"Unbelievably, Yes..." Mello answered, temporarily mesmerized by the sight of Near's pale back when he shed his clothes and climbed between the sheets. Near's eyes closed and a soft groan escaped him a moment later as the sheet moved with his hand's rhythm. Mello shifted uncomfortably because of the growing ache in his groin.

Matt brought him back. "I know you want to touch yourself... Do it, Mello. I can hear Near, let me hear you." His voice was painfully low. "Mmm...Mello, Near... I'm so hot... I'm aching for you... Have mercy..."

Near gave a small involuntary shudder and Mello finally slid his hand under his towel. "Matt... Nnn... Imagine your hands are mine. I'd run them down your chest slowly while I kissed the back of your neck. Smooth, burning lips on your damp skin."

Matt gave an erotic sigh. "More, Mello... Please, please more... Near, I'd take your erection in my mouth and suck it... Imagine... So hot... So so wet..."

Near gave a sound between a mewl and a sigh, and if Mello had enough sense left to notice he would have realized that Near was naturally quiet.

"Matt, While you're distracted, I'd slip three of my fingers into you from behind..."

"Nn... Mello, It hurts..." Matt groaned throatily and Mello knew that he was doing exactly as he was told.

"Shh... relax... It'll feel good soon."

"Ahh! Mello, There!" Matt sobbed and screamed his release only moments later.

The sound of Matt's scream brought Mello and he let himself sink to the white carpet to bask in the afterglow. As the pleasure wore off, he turned to check on Near and watched him wipe himself off with the edge of the sheet.

"I didn't realize that you masturbate." He commented offhandedly.

"That was the first time..." Near was blushing.

In the end Mello and Near had to take another shower and they were all late to breakfast, which was okay by Mello because, quite frankly, Lidner wasn't a very good cook. Instead of slightly crispy french toast and sausage, they ate cereal with varying amounts of sugar and drank milk; Mello's was chocolate.

"Like a little milk with your chocolate?" Matt asked.

"Stop complaining, you got to come..." Mello hissed back and Gevanni scooted toward Lidner under the pretext of getting another piece of meat, but it was also conveniently farther from Mello. Now here was a man insecure with his own sexuality. Rester, in a perfect paradox of Gevanni, didn't even look up from his scone... Apparently L was being generous with his snacks. Mello would have to remember to ask him for one of his dark-chocolate truffles later.

Matt seemed to have caught on to Gevanni's discomfort, because he turned to him with an exaggerated smile. "I love sausage! Mello gives me his all the time."

Gevanni stopped mid-reach, a look of comical horror on his face as if Matt had confided something far worse than sharing breakfast foods. Innuendo at it's very best.

Mello tried not to choke on his milk when Near decided to play along. "I'm not sure if I like sausage. Can I taste yours, Matt?"

Gevanni, however, did choke on his orange juice. His eyes had gone very, very large.

Lidner looked like she wanted to laugh, but was refraining for Gevanni's sake.

Rester snorted; apparently he had less qualms about putting Gevanni's dignity through the shredder. "Gevanni, pull your mind out of the gutter. They're talking about the food." He laughed, patting the younger agent on the shoulder.

Matt was feeding Near a piece of meat, which of coarse Mello HAD to comment on. It was too good to leave alone. "Matt, stop putting your sausage in Near's mouth."

Gevanni's head snapped around to look. Maybe he'd get whiplash... And here Mello thought eating with the SPK would be boring...

Directly after breakfast, they tested the cameras. Matt had hacked them into every security system in the city including the building Light was holed up in.

Light was in the shower, which didn't particularly interest Mello, but L seemed fascinated, his eyes followed a drop of water as it trailed down Light's strong, lean chest and over sculpted abs. Mello flushed and looked away; he did NOT want to watch L fantasize about Kira... Or rather, he did and it bothered him.

L was very un-L-like when he was watching the other man. He was softer, for lack of a better word, and Mello wondered, not for the first time, if he could handle seeing Light face to face. It humanized him at some level.

When Light got out of the shower and started to dress for Misa's funeral, Mello turned back to L. "Ready to go?"

L let all the air out of his body in a drawn-out sigh and stood. The suit Rester got for the occasion was fitted and proper; corseted to correct L's slouch. All in the name of anonymity. Only someone as perceptive as Light would recognize L dressed like that in a crowd. "This is very uncomfortable, Mello. My reasoning ability has decreased by five percent. Let's finish this quickly."

"We will." Matt promised. Orange goggles were pulled down over green eyes before Matt turned to look long and hard at Mello and Near. "We'll be back soon."

On his way to his bike, Matt pitched his cigarettes into the wastebasket. It seemed he'd finally decided to live instead of just surviving.

Literally hundreds of people showed up for the funeral. Light was the sole mourner, seated demurely on a cushion in front of the coffin speaking in hushed tones with anyone who cared enough to offer their condolences. Even without sound Mello knew he was swearing to kill Kira. Paradoxical logic if ever he'd heard it; kill the killer who's killing killers to stop the killing. Try saying that one five times fast.

Near seemed to have lost interest, but despite the delicate task of building a model of the Great Pyramid out of dominos, his eyes were on the screen.

L met Light's eyes across the room and the 'god' paled; distress, guilt, and perhaps even sadness crossed his face in a heartbeat. Matsuda walked up seemingly to comfort him, with such a simplistic mind, Mello was willing to bet that the detective thought Light was upset over Misa. Light was staring intently at L without looking up directly and L gave him the most heartbreaking look Mello had ever seen cross his face and mouthed, "You were my first ever friend..."

Now, Mello's lip reading might have been a little rusty, but he saw Light say, "I feel sick..." just before he stood and strode purposefully into the bathroom. After he made sure L made it safely to where Matt was hidden he switched to the bathroom camera and watched in amusement as Light assured himself over and over again that L couldn't possibly be alive. Maybe he should get Matt to hack the speaker system too... He could have Light begging them to lock him up in a nice padded room where L's "ghost" couldn't get him.

Near touched Mello's shoulder and pointed to the screen. Light was curled up in a very L-like fashion on one of the fancy chairs in the bathroom's lounge cradling something. It looked like a picture. It took a moment for Mello to realize Light was whispering something, over and over like a prayer.

"'I miss you... God I miss you so much...'" Near quoted offhandedly; not gloating, just informing. What used to piss Mello off now made him smile; helpful, very helpful. "Who is the picture of?"

Mello switched camera angles and zoomed in. The picture was of L, obviously printed from security camera image but a very high quality one. "No fucking way... We just made Kira have a nervous breakdown and... What the fuck, is he crying?"

"I think that we might be seeing the real Light Yagami showing through." Near commented, surprise clear in his voice. "Is it possible that the Notebook controls those who use it?"

No answer was necessary.

L and Matt didn't get back until after lunch and when they walked in Mello went from worried to livid in an instant. "Where were you?" He snarled, stalking up to Matt and yanking him forward by his hair. L left quietly while Mello was seething at Matt's irresponsibility.

Matt produced a drugstore bag and a nondescript black bag from the leather hip-bag he wore when he was taking the motorcycle. "We stopped to get a few things..."

It turned out that "a few things" meant a box of nicotine patches, an imported chocolate bar for Mello, a pair of BD/SM handcuffs, lube, and a new "Toy" for Near that made him turn the color of pink icing, much like the icing on the cake L had forced Matt to buy him.

Mello munched happily on the expensive gift and settled down to watch the show. Matt was forgiven... by Mello at least. Near was giving him the "YOU WILL EXPLAIN LATER." look and Mello suspected that he just might actually make Matt answer for his crimes.

When Hal walked in, Near slipped the relatively small white box into a desk drawer casually. "Hello, Lidner. Did you need something?"

"I was bringing some food up for you, sir. Neither you nor Mello has eaten since this morning." She responded with a smile that made Mello think of adjectives like 'motherly' and 'disapproving'. Was Hal the maternal type or did Near just have that effect on people?

It would have made Mello jealous before, now he just felt a little sad. He missed his own mother at times like these. Lidner reminded him of her, brave and determined to protect people she didn't even know; struggling to stop the senseless killing. In the end, for Mello's mother, the senseless killing won out. The soldiers shot her execution style, took Mello's older sister, and marched out, leaving him hiding alone in the closet; another orphan created by the collapse of the USSR.

A stray tear must have rolled down his cheek, because Matt wiped it away. "Thinking about your mom, huh? She was a brave lady, Mello, brave to the very last. I wish I could have met her."

"What happened to his mother?" Near asked.

Mello looked around the almost empty room and said, "Tell him, Matt..."

"Soldiers came to his house during the collapse of the USSR. She hid him in the closet and went out to meet them. She died so they wouldn't find him... so he could live." Matt told the story like he'd lived it. The only part of it he'd actually lived was the emotional fallout, but that was enough. "Mello swore he'd make her proud, no matter what."

They spent the rest of the afternoon together, working cooperatively until dinner, which itself was relatively uneventful. The seating arrangement had changed, though, much to Mello's secret amusement. Agent Rester had been so kind as to trade places with Gevanni, so that he now sat at the far end of the oval table on the opposite side... the switch put him next to Near.

After dinner Mello went off on his own to talk to L. When he was growing up, L always helped him with his problems... Like his confusion about his growing attraction for Matt... So he felt it was his turn to repay his mentor.

"Good afternoon, Mello." L greeted before he even opened the door. "Are you aware that you always come to talk to me at exactly 5:38 in the afternoon unless it's urgent?"

Mello analyzed the habit quickly and came up with the only rational solution. "At Whammy's, dinner ended at 5:30 and it was an eight minute walk to your room from there."

"That makes sense... So, Mello, what did you come to talk to me about?" Just like L, right to business. It kept the conversations short and focused.

"There's something you should see..." Mello explained and without further elaboration he brought up the camera footage from that morning and played the clip of Light from the time L left. By the time the footage had played through, L had a small, content smile on his face. It boded well for everyone.

"Thank you, Mello." L said as Mello stood to leave.

"Don't thank just me..."

"Then pass my appreciation along to Near. I'm glad you finally understand why you were both chosen to succeed me..."

Mello nodded and L rewarded him with a rare smile.

When Mello arrived back at their shared room, although he wasn't sure how it had happened, Near had Matt pinned on the floor. Never in his life had Mello seen Near lose his temper, however on closer inspection he realized that wasn't it. Matt was being forced to explain himself on threat of video game purgatory. Would Near really drop Super Smash Brothers out the window? It seemed likely.

"This morning you said it was the first time you ever touched yourself... I though you'd be more willing to try new things..." Matt protested.

"New things, Matt, but why a vibrator?" Near asked, leaning close.

Matt answered his question with another question, "You plan to have sex with us eventually, right?"

"Yes..." Near answered sheepishly.

"The vibrator's smaller and it stretches you so it'll hurt less the first time we make love. If I didn't get one for you, Mello would have." Near seemingly accepted Matt's explanation, because he moved to stand. Matt, however, had other plans. He pulled Near down for a long, searching kiss. "We can try it out..." Mello knew he was included in that "We" because Matt gestured to include him.

"Tomorrow..." Near answered, giving back Matt's game.

Everything went back to what now passed for normalcy for the next hour or so as the trio got ready for bed and exchanged goodnight kisses. Mello passed along L's gratitude as they settled down to sleep and for once Mello had a sense that everything would work for the best. Sleep came easy for everyone that night.

Thank you to my new reviewers:

Akito-Aya

Halfnium

KawaiiTidaChocoboCloud

sesshomarudeath

Nate River18

Eodaiya

and a very special thank you to everyone who's been with me from the start. You're all too kind... I hope you enjoyed this chapter... OMG... I'm sorry to The Chick Three... you should have been on the list sooner...


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own Death Note, If I did, I wouldn't have to buy the manga with spare change I found in the couch.

There's a lot happening in this chapter. From make-out sessions, to a fight; there's a 'kidnapping', tidbits from Matt's past, and a lemon to wrap it all up.

Sorry it took so long, I won't keep you with a long intro. Enjoy!

The first thing Matt always did when he woke up was to reach for a cigarette, so when his hand hit a pack of gum instead he knew instantly that the day wasn't going to go as planned. He contemplated it and decided that he wasn't really having a craving, it was more of a habit. He stuffed a piece of Winter fresh gum in his mouth and watched as Mello made the same habitual gesture that he used for cigarettes in search of his chocolate.

Mello went through the same motions at least twenty times a day; he probably didn't even realize that he did it anymore. He pulled back the foil wrapper and took a bite with his eyes still closed. Matt knew that all of Mello's chocolate was special ordered; the old foil wrappers and paper labels. The blonde claimed that plastic wrappers made the chocolate taste bad. He even let Matt try a piece of each once and Matt found himself agreeing, the foil-wrapped chocolate really did taste better; especially on Mello's lips.

Matt found himself leaning over to kiss said lips and found, to his surprise, that the mixture of chocolate and gum tasted better than he expected. Even more surprising, Mello kissed him back, practically swallowing his tongue.

"Mmm... You taste good today..." The elegant blonde murmured, coming to his knees in front of Matt and wrapping his arms around his neck. Matt felt Mello draw a breath against his neck and the soft puff of air as he exhaled. It sent a shudder through him. "You smell good too... I'm so glad you decided to stop smoking..."

So that was it. Mello was rewarding him and making damn sure he knew why. Mello was being so sexy that he'd give up one of his less favorite body parts to get this treatment more often, cigarettes were nothing. Gentle kisses were being pressed to his neck, a hot body was pressed against his, and a lean, glove-less hand slid down his abs... "Nnn, Mello..."

"If you don't smoke anymore, I might be tempted to finish this." and he was gone. Matt looked around in confusion and watched Mello slip his boxers down his hips and sway into the bathroom. From the look of it, Matt wasn't the only one aroused.

A pale hand settled itself on his shoulder and he turned to look at Near. "Do you always put on such interesting displays at five in the morning?" He asked with a small grin. "I've never seen Mello act like that..."

Matt smiled. "Mello can be damn sexy when he wants to be... As if the pants weren't a clue..."

That surprised a small laugh from Near, but then he went serious. "Matt, how did Mello become a Mafia leader?"

"I'm sure you already know how the Mafia works. If you want influence you're either good enough to get it, or you're sleeping with someone who is. Mello was good enough. He killed his way to the top and everyone was too afraid of him to do anything about it. He wasn't anyone's bitch..." Matt stated reverently. Mello was just that good; maybe too good. He was someone you either listened too, loved, or cowered in fear of. Matt did his fair share of each.

"I didn't think Mello would stoop to the level of selling his body if he could just shoot someone. He's better than that." Near agreed, letting his eyes wander across the room. Matt followed his gaze to the corner where Mello had kicked off his boots and dropped his gloves, Matt's goggles sat on top of the heap of clothes that contained Mello's jacket and Matt's vest, entwined together. Their used clothes never made it to the dry-cleaning bin; black, white, and stripes in another pile on the floor. Across the room a stack of video games that sat next to a half-finished Leggo sculpture on a black dresser and Mello's cross, draped across both, added a splash of color to the room. "It feels like home..." Near finally commented, and Matt knew exactly what he meant.

"Home" was more than just a word when you grew up in an orphanage, it wasn't a definable place, it was something you longed for and if you were lucky, you found a place that felt like home to you. Matt knew they'd found their home. "Yes... Yes it does..." He replied, running his fingers over the holster Mello had nailed to the head of the bed.

His eyes wandered from half of a torn family photo that showed a white-haired child and his equally fair mother in a very formal English garden, to a picture of a pretty smiling blonde woman, hugging her daughter with one arm while she held her little blonde baby boy on her lap in front of a cozy looking fire, you could even see a snowman through the cracked window. Matt's eyes finally came to rest on a picture of a sad-eyed girl holding a little red-haired child wrapped in a tattered blanket; his mother. Apparently they each had a picture that was too precious for them to burn.

"Tell me about your mother, Matt. She must have loved you very much..." Near prompted, resting his chin on Matt's shoulder, his arms sliding around Matt's waist.

Matt gave him a brief, sad smile. "My mom was a prostitute. She was only seventeen when I was born, but she loved me. She said I was the only gift the streets ever gave her... Her precious little boy... She always told me I'd grow up to do great things. She would rock me to sleep and promise that I would never have to live on the streets. Sometimes she made me promise I'd never let the streets drag me down... I was born for more than that, I shouldn't make the mistakes she did... She wanted me to have only the best. She went hungry so I could go to a school for gifted students and she wouldn't take no for an answer..." He trailed off, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He still missed his mother, but he'd made peace with her death. She would want him to move on and to be honest, he knew that she had been miserable while she was alive.

"What happened to her?" Near asked.

"I came home one day and two NYPD officers were there. One of the officers took my hand and led me across the street to a cafe. He told me that a man killed my mom and he promised he'd get the guy for me. The man who killed my mom got a life sentence, but Kira killed him..." Matt paused, "Light Yagami killed the man who killed my mother. In a way I'm strangely grateful, but what Light is doing has to be stopped. I think even Light knows that, but he doesn't know how to stop it. If we give him a way out, I think he'll take it."

Near seemed to consider it for a moment, "At this point, Light Yagami no longer wants to kill, but Kira is afraid for his own life and thus is forced to continue the killing. You're right, Matt. If he wants to stop this as much as we do, all we have to do is offer him a safe escape."

Mello walked out of the shower just then and all Matt could think was, 'So much for modesty...' as he watched Mello's sexy ass when the blonde bent over to get a pair of pants.

"Matt, go change the plates before you get a shower..." Mello demanded as he pulled on a new pair of never-been-worn, baggy goth pants that fit just right over his hips and ass. The long chains clinked as he walked over to the closet and pulled on a tight-fitting T-shirt that warned, "Hand over the chocolate and nobody gets hurt." He was sexy enough to pull it off.

The shirt had been a Christmas present from Matt. Mello looked like he wasn't sure whether to laugh or be offended when he opened that particular gift, but in the end he'd dissolved into laughter and Matt couldn't have been happier. It was hard to surprise a laugh out of Mello, and next to impossible to find that particular shirt in a small.

While Mello pulled all of that pretty blonde hair back in a ponytail, Matt caught Near's eye and they shared a knowing look. The shirt suited him frighteningly well.

Slinging a red and black scarf around his neck, Mello stalked out of the room with a backward glance that demanded Matt's obedience. With a sigh Matt stood up, pulled on yesterday's jeans, and followed him out. He hadn't expected Near to follow him down to the garage, but he was pleasantly surprised.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Near asked as Matt picked up a screwdriver to remove the license plate from the motorcycle.

"Sure. Hold the plate while I loosen it." Matt couldn't keep the surprised gratitude out of his voice. Working together it took half the time it would have taken Matt alone to take the untraceable license plates off the bike and car then replace them with new ones made to be easily traced back to a PO box and a cell phone number.

As they walked back upstairs, Matt turned to Near with a grin. "I should thank you properly for your help." Something in the back of his mind kept Matt from shoving Near against the wall, maybe it was Near's small frame or the lingering memory of his fear, but Matt pulled him close instead and kissed him softly.

When Near responded, Matt slipped his tongue into the other boy's mouth and pillaged every inch of it. Near mewled when Matt slipped his hand up his shirt and ran his fingertips over an already hardened nipple. The pale boy practically collapsed against him as he rubbed one finger around said nipple. Matt tugged on his shirt and Near lifted his arms. The shirt was half-way off when Rester and Gevanni turned the far corner and froze in their tracks.

Matt didn't know what to do in this situation... It wasn't as though their relationship had been a secret but being caught in such an obviously compromising position, Matt shirtless and Near half-dressed, it seemed likely that they'd be upset.

As if Matt had foretold it, Gevanni snapped. "What the hell are you doing to Near?" He shouted, and if Rester hadn't grabbed him he might have punched Matt. Matt turned slightly, bringing Near halfway behind him in an attempt to protect him, and it seemed like all the fight left Gevanni at once. "You can't... That's just..." He trailed off, turning suddenly and storming off in the opposite direction. Rester went after him.

Matt barely caught the look on his face, but he recognized it. Denial... Gevanni was in denial. Matt could guess at his inner dialogue right now. It was probably along the lines of, 'Two men can't really love each other, can they? That wasn't hot, it was just wrong, so why did I react to it? Am I gay?' How did Matt know this? Easy, he'd had the same inner dialogue when he realized that he liked Mello.

It didn't seem likely that Gevanni was attracted to either of them, but there was probably SOMEONE he was attracted to... and in denial about.

Back in their room, Matt and Near shared an awkward silence. Finally Near turned to Matt and asked, "Do you want to shower first?" It was a safer question than 'what do we do now?' but just as awkward.

No matter how tempted he was, Matt didn't offer to share the shower. Instead he just said, "You go first..." and flopped face-down onto the bed. Someone settled over him with a leg on either side of his waist and, since the door was locked, he assumed it was Near.

He felt Near fold his arms on his shoulders as he leaned down and said, "It would be faster if we just showered together." in a painfully naive voice. Was he really that guileless, or was he being a tease? Matt couldn't decide so he just shook his head in frustration.

Near kissed him gently between the shoulder blades and got up. Matt heard him walk into the bathroom and turn on the water. Why, oh why, didn't he just accept Near's offer? His hormones would be the death of him yet. Once he was sure Near wouldn't walk out unexpectedly, he buried his face in the pillow and slipped his hand down his pants.

Near only took ten minutes to shower, which was incredible by comparison to Mello's half hour or more, but it also meant he walked out before Matt could clean himself up. Matt cursed silently in every language he'd ever learned when Near saw the damp spot on the sheets and gave him a curious look. "You should have showered first..."

At the breakfast table everyone was avoiding each other awkwardly except Mello and Lidner. At one point Lidner tried to ask Gevanni what was wrong, only to have him turn bright red and choke on his Wheaties. She didn't ask again, lest she should accidentally cause the death of her colleague.

Mello asked Near what happened, and Matt heard the first thread of anger working it's way into his voice. Mello hated it when things were kept from him.

"Gevanni caught us snogging in the hall." Near answered, like 'snogging' wasn't so painfully British it should be illegal.

Matt could tell it was phrased intentionally. He even knew exactly where the phrasing came from. Back at Whammy's, Near had once asked him why he was being forced to stay away from Mello. His response? "Roger caught us snogging in the hall." Talk about turnabout is fair play.

Mello actually laughed. "Damn, I missed that? Was the show any good?"

At this point, Matt was starting to feel bad for the SPK member. That was the second time in less than ten minutes that he's nearly inhaled a Wheatie. Then the shit hit the fan. Gevanni PUNCHED Mello on his BLIND side. "Shut up, Fag!"

Mello was on his feet in an instant, ready to kick the shit out of Gevanni. Matt would have watched the show, and Near was too small to stop it, but Lidner grabbed Mello while Rester pinned Gevanni. The show was over before it really started.

Rester gave all of them a disapproving look before he led Gevanni out of the room to cool off.

Mello spit out a mouthful of blood on the dining room floor. Matt could feel the simmering rage coming from him like static in the air just before lightning strikes. Gevanni had just kicked himself to the top of Mello's 'shit list'. Half a second later there was a crack and one of the chairs fell into two even halves; a small line of blood trailed down Mello's knuckles. "Fuck..." He shouted, "Fuck!"

Matt wasn't sure who to pity more Gevanni, who couldn't handle their relationship, or Mello, who'd just been dealt a mortal slight. That was the first time anyone had ever dared to call Mello a fag; it had to hurt, because it hurt Matt to hear it.

L wandered in then, as though wondering what all the racket was about, and gave a cautious look around. "Mello..." He motioned the blond over and Mello went willingly, letting L tilt his face from side to side then examine his hand. "You're letting his discomfort get to you and he's bothered by your sexuality because he's afraid of his own. Be the adult, Mello. Don't let this interfere with your job."

L was the only person on the face of the earth who Mello respected enough to just listen when he told him to do something; no argument. The anger drained away like water after a storm, leaving Mello looking hurt and vulnerable.

When Rester and Gevanni came back in, Mello walked over and apologized, even though he really hadn't done anything wrong this time. Gevanni looked stunned, then he conceded that it was his fault for overreacting. He even asked if Mello's cheek was okay.

Hell knew, somehow they'd developed some kind of odd respect for each other. Maybe they'd avoid conflicts in the future.

The day ran smoothly, although a bit boring for Matt's tastes, after that. He spent most of the morning beating the newest Grand Theft Auto game for the thirty-sixth time, then just before lunch he faced Near, and lost, on Mario Party 12. Was there anything Near couldn't learn in less than three minutes?

Behind them Mello was sprawled out on the clean black sheets with a chocolate bar on one hand, bandaged though it may be, and an ice pack pressed to his face with the other. A dark purple bruise had spread over the scarred side of his face from just below his left eye down to his jaw, where Gevanni punched him.

"You okay, Mello?" Matt asked, turning slightly to see him better.

"Fine..." Mello growled back, "What's Yagami doing?"

Matt turned to the screen and flipped over to the surveillance video. Light was just slipping on a jacket, mid-explanation.

"He's leaving, Mello. It's time for us to go." Matt said as he stood up and pulled on Mello's leather jacket. Mello took his fake-fur trimmed coat and wrapped the scarf around his nose and mouth.

"You have the worst taste in clothes..." Mello muttered, holding out a fluffy sleeve and examining it before he pulled on his gloves with a huff.

"You wouldn't have me any other way." Matt countered. By now he'd learned that any insult coming from Mello was usually a compliment in disguise.

"Only you can pull this shit off..." Mello conceded. Matt felt victorious; he loved it when Mello said nice things to him... It made his entire day worth while.

Before Matt could slip on the motorcycle helmet, Near leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips. Then he kissed Mello through the scarf.

"I'll be waiting... Be careful..."

Twenty minutes later, Light STILL hadn't shown up. Why did the anal-to-the-point-of-insanity, serial-killer genius choose today of all days to be late? Matt was freezing his ass off. He pitied L more, however, because today L was dressed as a hobo in clothes they'd traded a real-live hobo for. He must have been much worse off sitting in the grave-yard waiting for a certain Light Yagami to show up. Matt snickered slightly, spelling Yagami backward in his head for amusement's sake... and because it kept him from hugging the motorcycle for warmth. It had started snowing five minutes into their little stake-out.

Mello got to sit in the nice, heated car through all this; talking quietly to Lidner over the seat. Matt was contemplating the many ways he could get revenge, when out of the blue a brilliant idea struck him. He'd guilt Mello into warming him up in one of the many interesting ways he could think of. Maybe he could even get Near to help with the 'warming up' process, but he really wanted Mello to have to press all that warm skin against his. Near just didn't deserve the chill...

Suddenly the speaker in his helmet crackled to life and Near's quiet voice filled his ears. "Get ready. He's almost there."

Almost as soon as it was said, Light stepped out of a taxi and walked swiftly into the grave yard. That was about the point when the original plan got blown all to hell.

Instead of bumping into Light casually, L stumbled into him like a drunken vagrant and kissed him full on the mouth.

Without even looking, Light slapped him hard enough to send him staggering. Matt caught a brief glimpse of red on L's cheek, but quickly realized that it wasn't blood. Light was staring down at his palm with a look of muted horror at what was undoubtedly a single letter, L, done in red icing. You'd almost think it was a black dot...

While Light was stunned to the point of stupidity, Matt maneuvered the motorcycle between the two men, his gun in hand. He had to trust that Mello would do his part.

"Don't you fucking move." Mello shouted from behind him, right on schedule. "You move and my accomplice blows a hole in your face." That was Matt's cue. He raised the gun and aimed it point blank at Light's head.

"Yagami-kun!" L was genuinely surprised. They hadn't let him in on this part of the plan. "Don't hurt him!"

"Get in the car and nobody gets hurt... probably..." Mello ordered in that voice; the same voice he used when he was about to kill someone in cold blood.

Matt watched in a well placed mirror as Lidner dragged L into the back seat of the car with a gun to his head. "Good boy. It isn't worth the fight... Wouldn't want the love of your life taking a bullet, would you?"

Light had yet to move. From past experience, Matt guessed that he was planning the best way to rescue L with no risk to himself. Either that or he was so stunned that he really had no clue what to do... The latter made Matt smile.

Tires squealed as Mello peeled out of the lot; leaving Matt staring down the barrel of a gun at Kira. "This has nothing to do with you. Don't try anything and we'll forget that you saw that." He instructed, beginning to ease forward.

"If you hurt him, I'll kill you..." Light snarled at him like an angry dog on a short leash.

"Well then, try and stop us... Kira." Matt gunned it and tore out after Mello as fast as the bike would go. He watched Light write something down out of his rearview mirror and he could only hope it wasn't his name. It was too late now if it was.

Back at the hideout, Mello was waiting for him. The scarf and jacket were already gone. When Matt tore in like the dogs of hell were chasing him, Mello didn't even wait for the bike to stop; he grabbed Matt out of the seat and ran, pulling him as far into the building as he could.

"Mello? What's wrong?" Matt asked urgently. Mello's behavior was scaring him.

"God, Matt... That was so fucking exciting! Did you see his face? Kira was afraid, Matt... He was shaking. He was so afraid of us... Afraid we'd hurt L... It's going to work, Matt! We're going to win..." Mello sounded breathy, orgasmic. "We're going to win..." Mello's hot lips were suddenly against his cold ones, not that he was complaining. If Mello wanted to use all that stored up adrenalin fucking him against a wall, Matt wasn't about to stop him.

"Do you think you can make it the two extra steps to the bedroom?" Near's soft, patient voice asked.

"Mm... Maybe..." Matt tore his mouth away from Mello's hungry kisses just long enough to answer before he was devoured once again. This was bliss. He couldn't even remember the last time Mello had kissed him with such pure desperation.

Near sighed and twisted the door-knob. Suddenly Matt found himself on the floor of their shared room with Mello sitting on him, looking down with raw heat in his eyes. He reached back, freeing Mello's hair from the ponytail so that it framed his face. The door clicked closed; locked.

Matt caressed his fingers over the bruised scars roughly and Mello groaned low in his throat. A movement to Mello's left caught Matt's eye, but he didn't look directly. If Near came up on Mello's blind side for a reason, Matt wasn't about to give him away.

Near slapped Mello gently and Mello's head tilted back, his eyes closing in bliss. "Near..."

"Correct, Mello... Stand up..." Near whispered. So he wasn't as innocent as he looked, not that it was a huge surprise. To lead the SPK, and be Mello's rival for so long, Near had to be at least a little dominant.

Mello obeyed readily. That could only mean that he was in a submissive mood.

Near instructed Mello to lean over the bed, legs spread, then turned to Matt. "Search him."

Matt laughed. Since when did Mello let Near order him around? What was he planning? He shed the jacket, then his shirt as he walked up behind the blonde. Slowly he caressed his hands up under Mello's shirt and slid it off, pressing his bare chest against Mello's warm back. "You're planning something..." He accused an he ran his hands down his lover's roughened skin.

Mello tilted his head, looking back over his shoulder with his good eye, and grinned.

That was all the confirmation that Matt needed. He dropped to his knees behind Mello, pulling the chains off of the pants before he yanked them down. "No weapons, Near. Do you want me to search inside too?"

"I will..." Near answered, "Hold his wrists."

Matt gave a little shrug... this could be interesting. Carefully he climbed up onto the bed and pinned down Mello's crossed wrists with one hand as he tilted the blonde's face up with the other.

Kissing Mello didn't really seem like the best idea at the time, but he did it anyway and gave a little sigh of contentment when Mello kissed him back just as passionately. When the blonde flinched, Matt looked up to watch as Near slowly slid a lubed finger into Mello's body.

"It hurts!" Mello hissed, a testament to just how long it had been since he'd last been entered. The Kira case took up way too much of their precious time together.

"Shh..." Matt soothed him, cupping his face and trailing kisses over every available area of skin. It was difficult to keep an eye on Near while he was soothing Mello, but somehow the red-head managed.

Near's face was carefully blank as he slipped a second finger into Mello's body and began to stretch him, but his eyes weren't so expressionless; they were warm with affection and concern. When Mello flinched away from him, the pale boy rubbed his lower back gently with his free hand.

Mello's expression went soft. "Near... I love you..." He gasped; lips half parted as his eyes slipped closed. He must have understood what Near was trying to do.

"I love you, too, Mello. Very much." Near responded.

Mello looked like he was about to melt when Near sprawled out across his back an kissed the sensitive area behind his ear. Then he brought both pale hands up around Mello's chest and Mello outright moaned when he pinched a nipple.

Sliding his hands down Near's back put Matt into a compromising position, which his blonde lover was quick to exploit; he jumped when Mello nipped head of his arousal. When lips slid around him, it left Matt panting as he struggled to hold himself up.

The hands that caressed over his thighs were too small to be Mello's, and a second tongue dipped into his navel. "Mnn... No fair..." Matt groaned.

Suddenly Mello flipped them both off of him with a little grunt. Matt landed on his ass on the floor, stunned but not hurt. Near on the other hand was at Mello's mercy; his arms cuffed above his head and pinned.

"Did you really think I'd let you have control?" Mello was asking him as he placed sloppy kisses at the edge of his pale lips. "I'm in control here." Blonde hair obscured most of his face, but the manic grin was clearly in place.

As Matt pieced together the scene before him, he concluded that Mello was most definitely NOT in a submissive mood.

When Near started to verbally analyze the situation, Mello effectively shut him up by grabbing his member and giving it a hard stroke. The pale boy cried out softly, his head tossed back.

"Matt!" That was all Mello had to say. Before he could finish his demand, Matt had retrieved the lube from the floor and scrambled onto the bed.

Mello took the lube and used it to slick Near, whose eyes had gone impossibly wide. "Mello?"

"You're not ready... I am..." The blonde panted as he impaled himself on Near.

Matt was left wondering if he'd die from the nose bleed or if his erection would kill him first. Either was a damn nice way to go.

Poor Near looked completely debauched, thrashing and moaning as Mello rode him expertly. His hands grappled for the sheets as he gasped for breath. "Mello!" He finally managed to scream, and it was the loudest Matt had ever heard him. It took him a second to realize that the pale boy had climaxed.

Mello slid off of Near and came to him. "Matt... Finish me..."He whispered. Neither of them lasted long. Matt came buried to the hilt in Mello's tight heat and Mello followed him, covering them both in milky semen.

Near was just coming down from post-orgasmic bliss. By the time they crawled to him, he'd curled in on himself; silent tears traced ribbons down his moonlight skin.

Mello didn't seem sure what to do. "What's wrong, Near? Didn't you like it? Did I hurt you? Do you regret it? Tell me what's wrong..." He was all but begging. Mello never begged.

"It... it was my first time..." Near sniffled. "I... I don't... know... why... Please hold me..."

Never had Matt expected Mello's 'victory' over Near to come in such a way, but it was so much better than the alternative as the curled together and Mello groped for a blanket to cover them. Slowly the pale boy's tears quieted as he curled between them and they drifted off. They would be dirty and sticky in the morning, undoubtedly, but for now they were safe and warm in each other's arms.

All the reviews make me so happy! Thanks to everyone! I hope I continued to live up to your praise in this chapter.

and to The Chick Three: Yes, Light and L are undeniably the most angsty yaoi pairing of all time. Poor lost souls that they are I can only try to give them a happy ending.


	6. Chapter 6

I, sadly, don't own Death Note... but if I did, There would be AT LEAST one scene where Mello and Matt are "Snogging in the hall..." Snicker

I tried my best on Light's personality, but like Matt, "Good Light" isn't in the manga for very long. He has a temper, but he's loyal and sincere, with a strong sense of justice. It was really hard trying to decide how he would handle a sentimental reunion with the man he loves, so I just tried my best. He seemed more like the "sit quietly and accept the guilt" type than the "bawl your eyes and beg for mercy" type.

I also included the Super rare, hard-to-come-by, I've-never-really-seen-it-before Gevanni/ Matsuda pairing.

Enjoy...

"What I excel in best/ is My excessiveness/ Self deprecation/ I hate myself sometimes..." 'Sumtimes' by Taproot played from the cell phone, waking Matt from his comfortable slumber; he snapped awake instantly. Only one person should know the number for that phone.

Before he really had a chance to think about it, Matt was rolling off the bed and fishing beneath it for the phone. It must have been knocked down during sex last night. He finally found it and flipped it open. "Hello, Kira... My boss was waiting..."

"Don't fuck with me! Is L still alive?" Light sounded desperate. Behind him Matt could hear the startled, confused voices of his team.

"I'll send you a picture, then we'll negotiate." Matt told him, working quickly to send a picture of L taken early that morning by one of the team. Someone must have helped him into the hand-cuffs, ropes, and the gag. "Like I said, my boss is waiting."

"Look, if you won't talk to me, let my talk to your fucking boss." Light seemed to be getting mad, although it was just a guess. Mello was already holding his hand out for the phone.

As soon as Matt handed it to him, Mello flipped it to speaker. "Look, I need a shower. You'll just have to talk while I get one." Was the first thing out of his mouth, but Matt could understand. Their semen had dried in flakey patches across his pale skin, some of it even matted Mello's hair to the side of his face. He turned slightly from the phone, "Come help me clean up."

Matt trailed him into the bathroom, casting a quick look at Near's peaceful, sleeping face before he closed the door. The younger boy must have been truly exhausted to sleep through so much.

"You bastard. How can you think about showering! I'm calling to offer myself in exchange for L!" Light shouted over the phone.

"That's all well and good, but I'm covered in some less than pleasant fluids. Just let me get my shower, Kira." Mello put him off as he turned on the water and stepped in. "Wash my back for me." He told Matt, lifting his hair so the red-head could scrub the back of his neck.

Matt lathered up a sponge and carefully started to wash out Mello's scars, listening in on the conversation with Light.

"What have you done to L?" Finally Light's voice had evened out; not yelling anymore, he seemed to be either calm or in shock.

"He's a virgin, isn't he?" Mello asked, "It seems he saved himself for you."

Matt could actually imagine the expression that went with the long silence and the pause of breath on the other end of the line. It must have been one of shocked horror.

"Relax, Kira, we haven't touched him. If you want it to stay that way you'll bring your associates and your Death Note to the coordinates I'm about to send you. Be there at noon. One of my men will meet you." Mello's voice went low and threatening as he spoke; then he hung up on Light's protest.

The instant he had Mello alone, Matt spun him around and caressed his fingers over the blonde's face. He'd been wanting to touch those scars again since he'd seen them damp the previous night, gleaming like crystals in the scarce light. "God, Mello. Your scars are so fucking beautiful..." He breathed, kissing along them gently. "You should have seen yourself last night. That was the first time I've seen your face during sex since you were scarred."

"What nonsense are you babbling now?" Mello asked him, just a hint of self-deprecation working it's way into his voice.

"I'm serious, Mello!" Matt protested. "They caught your sweat and tears; it looked like a web of jewels was set in your skin when the lights hit them just right. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen."

Mello opened his mouth to protest again, but Near cut him off from the doorway, "You really are very pretty, Mello. The scars only add to that beauty."

Matt looked to Near and gave a burst of laughter when he realized that his hands were still cuffed in front of him. He watched as the younger boy picked up the key from the sink and deftly unlocked himself, stretching his arms above his head like they were stiff.

"Morning, Near. How do you feel?" Mello asked as Near slipped into the shower with them and started washing off.

That seemed to throw Near, because he paused to think about it. "I feel... Good, relaxed." He finally responded, rubbing his hands over his own shoulders thoughtfully.

"Good sex will do that." Mello told him with a grin, which Near answered with a small smile of his own.

"We'll have to do it more often, then." Oh, things were certainly looking up, Matt decided. Only Near could say that with a strait face; his own version of an assurance. It was good for him, too.

Over breakfast, Mello explained the plan. Rester was to fetch Light and return to the base after carefully searching everyone and taking the Death Note from them. He was later supplied with hand cuffs and a blindfolds to subdue Kira and his team. By the time everything was ready it was almost noon.

As it turned out, only Matsuda followed Light to the warehouse where they were supposed to wait but, watching from the monitor screen, Matt wasn't sure if he was loyal or stupid. "Light, you must really love L-san." The detective was saying, a dreamy look on his face. He might be a few chips short of a cookie, but he was pretty damn intuitive.

L straightened beside him and Matt looked over for a second to see him staring at the screen intently, waiting for Light's answer. He didn't have long to wait; Light sighed defeatedly and nodded. "I love him enough to come out here and surrender."

L sighed and his eyes drifted closed. He looked so peaceful that Matt felt like he should be checking for a pulse.

"Are you really Kira?" Matsuda asked, hesitation clear in his voice.

"I regret it, okay?"

"Okay." The young officer answered. It really didn't seem to bother him; perhaps he figured that he knew Light, so if Light was Kira, he knew Kira too. He looked down at the notebook in his hands and ran his fingers over the cover. "This is really Kira's Death Note then."

Light stood there looking somber and defeated, like a man in front of a firing squad. He didn't know what they would do to him, so this was a true test of his love and, so far, he was passing.

Rester walked in then and Mello instructed him via the intercom system. "Take the Notebook, then cuff them both. Don't give them time to try anything."

Light held perfectly still as his hands were cuffed behind his back and a blindfold was snapped in place over his eyes. He didn't even struggle when a second, more complex set of cuffs were used to secure his hands, or when he was patted down from head to foot before his ankles were also bound.

Matsuda, on the other hand, looked afraid. He was so tense he was shaking while the same treatment was given to him, but he managed to stay still. "Light?" He whimpered when he was left standing, cut adrift from everyone. Gevanni went rigid; he wanted to comfort Matsuda, Matt realized.

"I'm here." Light answered. "They haven't separated us yet."

"Don't let him talk." Mello snarled into the mic. Rester obediently placed a ball gag into Light's mouth, effectively cutting off anything else he might say.

By the time Rester got back to the base with both of them, Matsuda wasn't doing so well. It looked to Matt like he might be claustrophobic.

"Gevanni, strip him so we can get that blindfold off." He ordered. He knew he was taking control away from Mello, but he really didn't want to be the cause of an innocent man having a panic attack.

Mello growled, but said nothing. He wouldn't have Light knowing that he wasn't in complete control, but Matt knew he'd pay for his transgressions later... "Matt, dearest, strip Kira... Now."

Matt set to work with a knife, cutting away Light's clothes starting with his shirt. He cut along his shoulders, then down one side of the shirt, before yanking it off. Then he cut down the outside of each leg of his slacks.

That stereotype about Asian guys having small dicks wasn't true if Light was any indication. L was in for one hell of a wild ride. Matt snickered as he yanked off Kira's watch. "Lucky dog... Be gentle with L or you'll tear him in half..."

Light turned toward the sound of his voice and muttered something that sounded distinctly like "Bastard..." around the gag.

Across the room, Gevanni was running a hand up and down Matsuda's back, whispering something in a soothing tone while the Japanese detective stood naked and shivering, arms curled around himself. "Boss," Gevanni called, "It it okay to give him a robe now?"

"Fine, suit yourself..." Mello answered, "If you don't want to gape for a few more minutes."

Gevanni gave him a glare and helped the other man slip into a fluffy blue robe that covered him from neck to ankle.

Matt followed his lead, freeing Light and helping him on with a silky grey robe.

"What now?" Light asked, his patience seemed to be wearing thin.

"Now you give up the Death Note, Kira. And perhaps apologize, because you had no need to hit me quite that hard..." All eyes turned to L as he walked into the room. A hand-shaped bruise marred his pale skin where Light hit him, but other than that it was clear that he was in complete control of the situation.

"L." Light yelped, moving like he'd go to him. Rester and Lidner barred him, standing directly in front of L with arms spread wide.

"Give up the Death Note." L repeated calmly.

"I don't want it! Get rid of it! Burn it! Just let me hold you! Let me see for myself that it's really you." He paused and looked up, presumably at his shinigami, "Yes, I'm absolutely sure!" He told it, and suddenly he was looking around in stunned silence. "L... Am I Kira?"

Light sure knew the right questions to ask.

Three hours later Light's effects had all either been burned or locked up and they'd filled Light in on everything they could. Light took it gracefully enough, even being hand-cuffed to L again, but L seemed to notice something that the others had missed because he rubbed the younger man's back and said, "It's okay, Light-kun. I know it wasn't really you, and I'm alive. I love you, Light-kun. It's okay. You failed."

Light nodded against him. "I love you, too, Ryuuzaki. If you can forgive me maybe, in time, I can forgive myself."

Matt felt like he was watching a chick-flick. Did he ever act that way with Mello? Don't answer that...

Still, it was like he was interrupting a moment that should have been private and special, so he levered himself off of the couch with the intent of finding Gevanni.

Mello and Near seemed to share his opinion, because as soon as he excused himself, they decided to "give the two some privacy." Mello even managed to get Rester to keep watch from the doorway instead of the closest wall.

Back to the subject of Gevanni. Where had that man stashed their other "hostage"? It shouldn't take that long to find clothes...

When he finally DID find them, he felt stupid; must be the lack of video games and nicotine messing with his head. Of coarse it didn't take that long to get clothes, but... "Who's catching who snogging in the hall this time..."

Gevanni and Matsuda positively FLEW apart, ending with their backs to opposite walls, panting hard. They must have been really into it if they didn't even hear Matt walk up. It wasn't like he was trying to be quiet.

Gevanni shot him a glare halfway between anger and confusion, but the effect was ruined because his lips were so kiss-swollen it looked like he'd been Botoxed.

Matsuda, on the other hand, was trying to get the robe back over his shoulders while hiding the kiss-mark on his neck. He wasn't doing a particularly good job of it and his flush was quickly turning into a blush.

"Don't worry." Matt assured them as he walked away, "I won't tell on you."

Back in the bedroom, Matt found Mello and Near already changed for bed. Mello was wearing a pair of loose black satin shorts and Near was dressed in an outfit almost the same as the ones he wore during the day.

As soon as Matt closed the door behind himself, Mello motioned him over with one finger. Defeated, he settled himself on the bed and took off his shirt. Mello was about to punish him for his earlier disobedience.

The blonde set teeth in his shoulder, sending a jolt of pleasure and pain tearing through him and he hissed. To be with someone like Mello, you almost had to like a little pain.

Mello seemed satisfied when tiny pinpricks of blood welled up from the bite, because he brought Matt into his arms and kissed the injury softly. "I didn't punish you worse because everything worked out in the end."

Matt was okay with that; Mello usually did more damage than that by accident during sex... He just hoped that everyone else was having dreams as nice as his that night. It seemed likely.

As usual, thank you to all who reviewed. I couldn't do it without you. The reviews make me so happy... I hope you liked it. Please continue to review. I welcome question and suggestions...


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own Death Note, If I did I wouldn't have to beg for a Mello plushie.

I don't really have anything against country music, but Light doesn't seem like the type who'd enjoy it... No offense to country fans. I make reference to L tying cherry stems, He really does. It's seriously in the manga, if you look for it. I decided that Light and Matt would probably get along, based on what I know.

There is a Lemon at the end of this chapter between Light and L. I tried to focus on both the physical and the emotional in this one. Enjoy.

Light didn't mind the chain. This time it wasn't even debatable that he needed to wear it; in fact, he was glad it was there. This way L would be able to keep him safe from himself. However, that knowledge didn't help the humiliation much when he woke up wound so tightly in it that he couldn't move...

A little over three years without the cuffs had left him unaccustomed to their presence. He knew the initial awkwardness would wear off eventually, but for now it was unbelievably embarrassing.

L gave a little groan as he woke up; since when did L sleep? When he saw Light's predicament, his thin lips curled into a small smile and Light felt that he had missed an eternity worth of little moments like this.

"Good morning, Ryuuzaki." he greeted, returning the smile with one of his own despite the indignity of the current situation. L's smiles always made his heart flutter.

"Good morning, Light-kun. Did you sleep well?" L asked, and damn him for looking so smug as he helped to untangle the chains.

Almost on cue the speaker system clicked on. "Good morning, Beautiful/ how was your night?/ Mine was wonderful/ with you by my side..."

American Country music, how distasteful... Only two people in the building could possibly be responsible for something so... unbecoming. Either Matsuda thought it was "cute" or that blonde bastard, Mello, was being vindictive. Whoever it was, Light contemplated breaking their face.

"Shut it off! NOW!" He demanded.

Only once the music stopped playing did he realize that L was chuckling. "Good morning, Beautiful."

Light huffed and walked off, dragging L unceremoniously behind him. The eccentric detective was already getting to him with those adorably annoying habits of his. He could really afford to stop the purposeful torment.

"Are there any cameras in here?" Light demanded when the bathroom door closed behind them.

L seemed to debate over his answer for a moment, but when he said "No." Light took him at his word. They both knew he was Kira, what reason would L have to lie to him now?

"I've waited three years to do this..." The Light growled, yanking L forward by the chain and shoving him up against the sink. Before the betrayed look could settle on L's features, he brought their lips together in their first real kiss.

L didn't move at first, stunned to stillness, but after a moment his lips brushed against Light's as well. Soon enough their tongues were twining in an ancient dance and Light couldn't recall who had initiated it.

There was no battle for dominance in that first kiss, it was all tenderness and longing, but the second kiss was different. It was fierce enough that their teeth brushed together and the coppery taste of blood came where one of them had nicked a lip.

L was an incredible kisser and Light quickly found himself losing their battle for dominance; he wasn't even sure if he wanted to win anymore. As L's talented tongue brushed his and then slid along the roof of his mouth, he decided that it didn't matter as long as they were kissing. It took him a moment to realize that the pleased moans were his own.

Victorious, L pulled away and began to trail gentle bites down Light's neck. His hot, talented mouth was driving the other man crazy.

"Where did you learn to kiss like that?" The younger detective gasped, shivering as his neck was ravaged by the only person he could possibly love; his one true equal.

"I tie cherry stems..." L told him matter-of-factly and he started to laugh before he realized that L was perfectly serious.

"With all of those bananas and lollipops..." Light didn't dare to finish the thought, not that he needed to; he was sure that the older man would get the implications...

"Later, Light-kun. We will be late for breakfast if we take much longer, and Mello promised to make Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Chocolate Syrup for me this morning." He said it just like that; like the sweets should be in capital letters.

Light did manage to lure L into a quick make-out session in the shower before breakfast, however.

As soon as he sat down at the table, Light fixed Mello and Matsuda with an icy glare while pointedly ignoring the fact that Matsuda was wearing a scarf. "Which one of you is responsible?"

Neither would admit to the earlier stunt, but Mello's red-haired lover, Matt, did point out that it was hard to be threatening when you had a hickey the size of a quarter.

Light just grinned at him, "Jealous?"

"Nope." He answered, pulling down his shirt collar to show off a perfect ring of teeth marks just above his collar bone. "Are you?"

They were sizing each other up, it was a perfectly masculine thing to do, and it seemed to Light that they would get along. Both of them disdained the insanely sweet food in favor of bacon and eggs. A good, wholesome breakfast if there ever was one.

The pale boy, who Light was shocked to discover was the infamous Near, wasn't eating either. He had a bowl of lightly sugared cereal instead and seemed to be lost in his own little world as he pushed a red toy car back and forth with his finger.

If he was any less observant, Light would have missed the quick glances he shared with Mello or Matt every now and then, but the Yagami boy could only guess at what those looks meant.

It turned out that the SPK was moving house, something about another suspected Kira, but L didn't want Light to, quote, "Trouble himself with trivial matters." He was guessing that translated to, "I don't want you to see what we're working on." L probably thought he was still unstable.

The result of L's decision left him handcuffed to Matt for three hours while L backed up "sensitive data". It seemed more likely that he was making sure Yagami Light didn't exist on any official records.

With nothing better to do, Light faced Matt on Mortal Combat. Matt was good; he knew moves Light had never even heard of.

"It's nice facing someone who doesn't know what the hell he's doing for a change. You haven't made time to enjoy yourself lately, have you?" The red-haired gamer commented, grinning victoriously as his character beat Light's to a bloody pulp.

It unnerved Light that Matt could read him so well, but it also made him an interesting companion. "How do you know I don't read in my spare time?" He asked, turning ever so slightly.

"Mello reads in his spare time and his hands don't move as fast as yours when he plays me. Holding the book stiffens your joints." It made sense... Too much sense in-fact. The gamer just didn't seem that observant at first glance. He was a valuable asset, and friend, to have.

"Okay. You're right. I haven't played any video games, or read for pleasure, in at least five years; between study and Kira I just haven't had the time..." Light finally assented, offering the red-head a companionable smile.

"I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself." Matt offered, switching the game disk to a slower paced game. "Seeing as you're such a newbie, I'll go easy on you, but if I win you have to share those chips."

Light laughed, shoving the bowl in Matt's direction. "It's weird having someone I can just talk to. Usually I have to dumb everything down, or explain everything I say in painful detail."

"Good weird, or bad weird?" The gamer wondered aloud, tapping his chin with one finger in a thoughtful gesture.

"You don't use that gesture often." Light hazarded a guess.

"How could you tell?" Matt returned, smirking.

"It looked unnatural. You had to think about what you were doing." Light explained, tapping away on the controller as he spoke. Matt wouldn't beat him this time.

"Hm." Matt responded, becoming absorbed in the game again.

"Did you enjoy your play date, Light-kun?" Both boys were so into the game, they didn't even hear L walk up, but they managed to not jump. Mello was standing next to the eccentric detective, one hand on a black leather clad hip.

"Hello, Ryuuzaki, Mello." Light greeted the two. "Matt is a very pleasant companion. I haven't had so much fun in years." If he wasn't mistaken, Mello looked just the least bit jealous.

"Fuck, Mello, what are you wearing?" Matt all but purred, his eyes glued to the blonde. It was a pretty normal response when your lover was wearing skin-tight pants with just enough well-placed holes be fashionable and a one-sleeved belly shirt. The shirt showed off the entire line of the scars Light had noticed earlier. They were horrible, but Mello wore them like a good accessory. There was even gold glitter glistening over the raised ridges of them.

"You like?" Mello asked, brushing up against him; flirting shamelessly with his red-haired love. "Near liked it." He grinned, flaunting the kiss marks on his neck and abdomen.

Matt followed him, entranced, as the blonde swayed his tight ass out the door. "I wanna join in! It isn't fair to have hot make out sessions without me!"

L waited until the two horny teens were out of earshot before he looked toward Light with those unnerving, beautiful midnight eyes that missed nothing. "Light-kun was staring..." He commented, no inflection what-so-ever in his voice.

"Anyone would stare at someone dressed like that... He looked like he walked out of someone's wet dreams." Light defended, unsettled that L had switched the cuff back without him noticing.

L just stared at him with blank eyes until he felt like they would cut through him and burn his heart away. It hurt when L didn't trust him... "Ryuuzaki!" He finally protested, "Mello is beautiful, but if beautiful counted for ANYTHING I would have fallen for Misa. I didn't, L, I love YOU. I've loved and hated you from the very start... Love me, Ryuuzaki. TRUST me."

"I do trust you, Light..." It sounded foreign on L's tongue; just his name, unadorned, naked on the air. "Would you believe that if I told you my real name?"

Light didn't even have to think about it. "No, Don't tell me. Ryuuzaki is real enough for me."

"Then I'll prove my trust in another way..." And L led him by the hand to their room; their fingers laced together.

"As weird as it is..." Light commented as he settled beside L on the bed, swinging their joined hands. "I've never held hands with a lover like this before."

L gave him an indulgent look as the younger brought their joined hands up to kiss, as if he clearly didn't care what Light did in the past.

"My life begins again today." Light whispered, pulling L down to the bed in his arms.

They shared a long, slow kiss; breaking apart only when their lungs cried for air and only then for a few moments. It was clear where this was going, and it left Light shivering with anticipation.

"L..." He murmured, sliding the older man's shirt up and over his head before it finally caught on the chain and halted in it's progress.

Without missing a beat, L produced a key and unlocked the cuffs. Obligingly, Light lifted off his own shirt and allowed L to hook the manacle back in place, leaning down to lick across his lover's breastbone.

L gave a little shudder as Light continued to lave at his neck and chest, spurring another wave of tenderness in Light. Why had he ever wanted to hurt this man? "Are you alright, Ryuuzaki?" He asked as he rolled his eyes up to look at L, the tip his tongue still touching the other man's nipple.

L's fingers slowly wove their way into his hair, creating pleasant pressure as they massaged his scalp. "I have never experienced this before... It is a bit... embarrassing..."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of..." Light assured him, nuzzling L's belly and enjoying the feel of soft, warm skin against his face. "It's just me."

When L nodded, Light brought his arms around his lover's body, caressing his fingers down the ridges of L's spine. He gave a grateful moan when the detective's deceptively strong hands slid down to knead his shoulders. The tension practically flowed out of his body as L massaged, but it was becoming clear that his soft sounds of pleasure were having the opposite effect on L.

Tenderly, Light licked from the top of L's jeans upward. L's entire body shuddered when he dipped his tongue into his navel and sealed his mouth around it; suckling as he mouth-fucked L's belly.

"Light..." The eccentric detective moaned, and it tore through Light straight to his groin. He'd never been so aroused by the sound of his name before, but L said it like it couldn't be any other name; Light was the only name he would ever moan. That, more than anything, turned him on.

"Can I?" Light asked, hands hesitating over the button of L's jeans. His hands never shook, but they were shaking now. It was more than just sex; the air practically hummed with emotions older than time and deeper, even, than love. It was incredible, he would have never believed it was possible if he wasn't feeling it.

Part of the passion came from three years of denial, believing that his love had died, and part of it came from L himself, radiating from him in waves. It was enough to humble Light; he would not betray the trust L placed in him. At L's assent, Light carefully unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down his thighs, revealing more smooth creamy skin.

L was beautiful in his nudity. Even Light, who was not originally a lover of men, could admit that. It wasn't just that L was long and thick and perfect; it was more than that. It was the way he shivered against the burgundy sheets as if afraid of his own naked skin, the way his eyes closed part-way and his breath hitched when Light took him in his hand, the way his own hands caressed Light's face as if to say, "I'm alright, keep going." even as uncertainty, even fear, showed in his eyes.

Light had a shining moment of perfect understanding then. L wasn't afraid that Light would hurt him, the brilliant detective was afraid that he wasn't good enough; that he wouldn't please Light. It spurred Light to reassure him.

"Ryuuzaki," He purred, fondling L's erection as he cradled him and nuzzled his elegant cheek. L trembled and cuddled into his arms. "You are so alluring... So fucking exquisite... I'll die if I can't have you..."

L gave him a soft, timid smile. "Light-kun flatters me..." He scolded, his voice abnormally breathy. "I am hardly exquisite."

"If anyone ever told you that you were anything less than gorgeous, they lied. I've never been so turned on by anyone in my life." Light whispered huskily against his ear, rubbing his clothed erection against L's thigh for emphasis.

L's hand slid down to caress him through his pants and he thought he'd come then and there. "I want you to have me, Light." L replied just as huskily, and Light shuddered in pleasure when his slick, silky tongue ran over the shell of his ear.

L's skin smelled like cocoa butter, he even tasted sweet as Light licked his way down his abdomen. He found an unusually sensitive spot just above L's right hip that caused him to jerk and moan in surprised pleasure; because he enjoyed the reaction, he licked and nipped there several more times before moving on.

Licking L's erection caused him to jackknife off the bed and Light chuckled in fond amusement. Even the salty-sweet taste of L's essence, where it leaked down his hard member, wasn't enough to keep him from repeating the action; he found he even enjoyed the taste, it was purely L.

L's fingers curled into Light's hair as younger lapped at him and his thighs spread wider, knees pulled up.

Light dipped his head, using L's more open position to slide his tongue over the man's tight hole, then forward over his sac, and up his shaft; sealing his lips around the silken head. L's eyes rolled and he was undone. "Lube..." He gasped, standing suddenly and struggling to remove his pants.

L made a vague motion toward the lamp stand and Light delved into the drawer, coming back to the bed with a small bottle of gel in hand. "I'll be careful... I'll be gentle..." He promised feverishly as he slicked his fingers with more of the lotion than he thought he'd need in a week. Slowly he worked one finger into L's tight, virgin opening, pausing each time L tightened down and urging him to relax. He didn't want his lover to be in any pain.

As soon as L was relaxed with one finger Light added a second, then a third. By the time he added a fourth, stretching the man to excess, L was making sounds he had never heard before; husky half-sighs and keening whimpers that were music to his ears.

"More... Light" L mewled, pressing back against Light's seeking fingers and it was clear that Light was not the only one undone. The action brushed Light's fingers over his prostate and the detective gave a muffled cry of pleasure.

"I'm going to put it in now..." Light warned him, slicking his weeping erection quickly. He leaned down to kiss L as he positioned himself and slowly penetrated him.

L was tight and hot inside, but it wasn't hard to enter him and it didn't seem to cause him any pain. Almost as soon as he was fully seated, L gave a little buck and murmured, "Move..."

Light didn't need to be told twice. The delicious pressure around his engorged member was wonderful as he set a fast pace. The bed creaked as he pounded into L passionately and L moaned and cried and writhed beneath him; clinging to his shoulders until he drew blood in red gashes across his back.

All too soon, L's muscles spasmed, signaling his approaching orgasm and Light reached down, stroking him. Light kissed L passionately and swallowed his cries as they reached the height of pleasure together.

When he came down from euphoria, Light found L curled in his arms. There was blood on his mouth where L bit him during orgasm, but it didn't matter; the nick would heal. L seemed bleary but content, so Light let him rest for a while before nudging him toward the shower.

Only once both they and their sheets were clean did Light allow himself to relax. L had fallen asleep in the shower and he couldn't bear to wake him; he looked so peaceful.

"I love you, Ryuuzaki..." He whispered to the sleeping angel in his arms, nuzzling his neck as he surrendered to sleep.

Lurvs to all my reviewers. Keep doin' what you do. Every good author loves to know they're making people happy.


	8. Chapter 8

I don't own Death Note... but I love to write fanfiction...

I'm so sorry this took so horribly long... Please forgive me...

Light has a different perspective of Mello, so he comes off as bratty and arrogant in this chapter. I hope I was able to capture their mixed emotions toward each other. I wrote it that way on purpose, because part of the story is showing how people and things are profoundly different from each person's view-point. I'll go into more detail on that in the next chapter if anyone asks me to. (I will not be doing a chapter from L's viewpoint, for various reasons.)

Everyone is finally celebrating victory in this chapter. It's their day of rest before they go on to face their next challenge, so Mello gets them a little drunk.

Mello was tactless. In Light's opinion, he was one of the most disrespectful people ever born. The blonde didn't seem to understand the concept of knocking on closed doors.

It was five o' clock in the morning when the arrogant blonde wandered into their room and, ignoring the fact that they were both naked, walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. "Good morning, L." He greeted, presenting said raven-haired detective with the morning paper. "Read the headline. Kira has officially been declared dead."

The headline was "Kira Kills One Last Criminal". It was one hell of a read:

"Supermodel Misa Amane, who died earlier this week, has been confirmed to be Kira. The police have discovered insurmountable evidence that Miss Amane was the famous serial killer, including a suicide note and the undeniable fact that the killings have stopped. In her suicide note, Misa Amane admits that she is Kira and states that "To prove it, I'll kill myself the same way I killed those criminals"..."

Light stopped reading at that point. It sounded frighteningly like something Misa would say, but he hadn't planted that note. He already knew that the police would set Misa up as the only Kira. It was the only way to stop what he'd set in motion, short of killing himself.

For better or worse, things were already returning to normal. Criminals were still being cautious, it seemed, but average people were returning to their daily lives. There was an entire congregation of protesters who came out en masse to condemn the Kira killings as inhumane; for all the good it did them with Kira "dead". They were truly pitiful, setting themselves up as heros only after the threat had passed.

"You don't seem happy, Light. Feeling bad for poor Misa-Misa?" Mello jeered, a cruel smirk set on his lips.

"I feel bad for what happened to her, but if this is what it took, I'm just glad it's all over." Light answered, turning to look at Mello's lovely, ruined face. His scars were a landscape of mountains and valleys torn across human flesh. "I'm sorry for all of this. I have to live with what I've done for the rest of my life."

The smirk melted away. "Everyone here has already forgiven you." The scarred blonde announced, then he stood an stalked away. "Call home, your family must miss you..."

There was something undeniably bitter about the last and Light felt like he was missing part of some larger picture. He was beginning to realize that the world was like a giant puzzle and each person was a single piece. Everyone was something to someone. They all fit together like some giant, complex spider web and they all needed each other in some small way. One person shouldn't be able to play god and throw off that intricate balance.

At the breakfast table, Light struck up a meaningless conversation with Lidner, just because. The SPK seemed to harbor discomfort about sharing a table with Kira, but the tension practically melted away when they started talking.

Agent Rester, it turned out, couldn't wait to get back to his family. L had granted him a generous retirement and after serving twenty years he was finally able to settle down for his "golden years" in safety. He was riding with them state-side but, sadly, they'd be parting ways in New York. The Kira case was his last, but he went so far as to joke that it was a good way to leave the force; to retire a hero.

The news depressed Light a bit. He wouldn't be going back to his own family, ever. His goodbyes had already been said over a staticky line to his mother and his baby sister; he couldn't turn back now, not after his father's death.

Lidner was more optimistic. She wanted to stay on as long as she could. While Rester was past his prime, she was just reaching hers and she claimed that she'd follow the team to the ends of the earth. "It's like waking up and realizing that you were dead just yesterday. We saved the world, you can't do much better than that."

Gevanni raised a toast to that and everyone joined in. They were celebrating today. They were alive. The case was over and they could afford to relax.

"To us! To the SPK! To L and all that he stands for! To the family and friends gathered around this table! We will NEVER DIE!" Mello rallied them, handing out rounds of fine vodka. Everyone joined in, clashing glasses and downing their liquor. They all deserved a day off.

Light didn't even mention that the youngest three clearly weren't old enough to drink. Not old enough to drink, but old enough to die for their cause.

Three hours later, everything from the base was being loaded onto the jumbo jet that L saw fit to buy with his seemingly endless funds.

"You should paint U-haul on the side..." Light commented sarcastically as he stepped over Matsuda's prone form. The man seriously couldn't handle his liquor.

L tilted his head inquisitively and looked up at the plane, " 'll do i' la'er." He slurred, collapsing against Light and drifting into alcohol-induced dreams.

"Anyone still SOBER, say I." Light called, hoisting L over his shoulder. He wasn't entirely surprised when the only people to assemble were Matt, Mello, and Rester. "I can work with this... Mello, you're up there on the chain of command. Get us where we need to go."

He sincerely hated to delegate leadership to other people, but no one saw fit to tell him where they were going, so it seemed that his most important task today would be baby-sitting the woefully drunk.

Mello took command like a pro, handing out marching orders to the hired hands and ensuring that his people all made it onto the plane safely. Light didn't feel as bad after seeing how skillfully Mello managed the situation. For someone so young, he was a talented leader. Light felt immense respect for him.

Less than an hour later they were airborne en route to New York with everyone safely stowed. Mello even saw fit to hand out hang-over reduction pills that would, supposedly, take away the worst after effects of the alcohol.

"Wake L up and make him drink this." Mello instructed him, handing him a glass of something foul. "It's better if he throws up now, before all the alcohol is absorbed."

When Light helped a slightly more sober L back from the bathroom, Mello forced them to take pills so they wouldn't wake up with splitting headaches.

Once Mello moved on to treat the rest of the team, L stared up at Light like he was just seeing him for the first time and, in a hazy voice, announced, "Light-kun is very, very pretty."

"That's nice, L. You should get some sleep." Light tried to be rational.

L considered that for a second, his normally fast reasoning seemingly nonexistent at the moment. "Will you marry me?" He finally asked; big, dark eyes focused intently on Light.

The younger man was spared from answering, however, when L dozed off again the next second. He was really beginning to miss the normal L.

Rester's family met him at the airport and they said their good-byes. Matt patted him on the back and wished him good luck, Mello gifted him with more vodka, and Near shook his hand, but ended up in a tearful hug instead.

"We'll miss you, Agent Rester. You are one of us..." The pale boy started, then paused and started over. "I'll miss you. Keep in touch. We're family... All of us are."

"I will... Sir." Rester saluted him, and Near returned it. The afternoon sun caught the fine water droplets on their cheeks. Even Matt had to, quote, "adjust his goggles" several times and Mello must have "got something in his eye".

Their farewells said; the remaining team members continued the last half hour to Ontario. Since when did ANYTHING bad happen in Canada?

L, who was pleasantly sober at this point, filled Light in on their new case while the base was being set up. Mello must have had some say in the decorating theme, because it ran high to gold, black, and white. There was the most incredible library, which Light was informed that Mello had insisted on, situated down the same hall as the bedrooms.

L's room was done in mahogany and cream with a spill of blood-red sheets on the bed. The master bath even had one of those old fashioned claw-foot tubs carved out of creamy marble. The curtains were the same deep red as the sheets and the carpets were all the color of newly fallen leaves. Sitting in front of the empty mantle, Light could almost imagine telling stories there on a cold winter's night in front of a blazing fire.

L was needed by the team to help set up some of the more delicate equipment, so he left Light in Mello's "tender care"- the sarcasm heard round the world- for an indefinite amount of time. Mello immediately saw fit to chain him to the mantle, then he sat in Light's chair, eating chocolate and typing away on his, or Matt's, Mac-Book while Light sat on the bed and fumed.

"Light-KUN." Mello's sarcastic voice broke the calm that had eventually settled over the room, "You owe me..."

"Why would I owe YOU anything?" Light asked disdainfully. Whatever respect he had for Mello was only valid when they weren't verbally sparring. When they were, it was a free-for-all because Mello seemed to have selected him, specifically, as an argument partner.

"The bedrooms back at the SPK building all have security cameras." The blonde responded, a petty smirk pulling at the edges of his lips. "Including L's."

It took a moment for that to sink in, but when it did, it left Light's mind working overtime, trying to think of an excuse.

Mello must have seen the realization cross his face, because he held up a disc; a DVD, Light realized. "How much do you think I could get for this on E-bay?" He asked, twirling it between his graceful, gloved fingers just out of reach.

"Mello..." Light was at a loss for words. Just WHAT did this brat want from him?

Mello answered that for him without being asked. "I have, in my possession, a certain... item... that you would very much like to have, correct?" He paused, damn him, probably for dramatic effect. "You see... I have need of a certain item as well... And if you would be so kind as to procure said item for me, I could find it in my good will to TRADE items with you..."

That was how Light found himself chained to Lidner, going on the world's most embarrassing shopping trip. He also learned that in Mello-ese singular nouns and plural nouns meant the same thing and "Item" had magically turned into "Items" before his eyes. Mello even made him a list, which he had Light write out so it couldn't be traced back to him... clever bastard.

With Mello, Light could understand the chocolate syrup on the list, but that's where the logic wore off... Count on dear, sweet Mello to come up with so many obscene things that he "needed" before the end of the day... It was like a nympho's scavenger hunt.

"Sir, if you don't mind my asking, why do we need to go into Victoria's Secret?" Lidner inquired, casting him a curious glance. It had been decided that Light would need an alias, but one had yet to be officially chosen, so for now, in public he was "Sir".

"Lidner, you can just call me K." He suggested. K was a suitable alias for the former Kira, wasn't it?

Lidner nodded, "Fine, K, but you haven't answered my question..."

Light looked up from the pink, lacy thongs he was browsing and muttered, "I'm on a scavenger hunt..."

Twenty minutes later, he was standing in Spencer's, staring at the "wall of perversion" and Lidner was snickering at him under her breath... How had he been brought so low as to go shopping for "Naughty Nurse" outfits for Mello? What was the former Mafia leader going to use all this stuff for anyway? The only person at the base small enough to fit in half of it was... was Near...

Light had the sudden urge to curl up on the floor and laugh at the image it brought to mind... Poor, poor Near...

The items he had to venture into Hot Topic for were slightly less graphic and once that was accomplished, he had Lidner take him back to the base.

"Some scavenger hunt..." She commented, watching him from the corner of her eye. "What did Mello use to blackmail you?"

"You don't want to know..." Light answered darkly. "You?"

Lidner gave a nervous laugh... "Well, once he realized that I didn't really care if Ted knew what colors and styles of lingerie I possess, Mello manipulated me with guilt instead..."

Light was convinced that this was a good time to change the subject... "Ted?" He inquired, raising one perfect eyebrow.

"He's a good cop. Works for the NYPD's 27th precinct. I met him earlier this year..." The blonde woman didn't elaborate further, but Light could guess that there was mutual interest involved.

"You talk?" He asked.

"E-mail..." She answered, and that was the end of the conversation. Their practicality kept conversations to a minimal.

Back at HQ, Mello met them at the door. "I didn't expect you to swallow your pride like that..." He confessed, handing over the disc as promised. "Maybe I was wrong about you..."

The way his fierce eyes gauged him, Light realized that Mello had been testing him and he'd passed. For the first time, he thought he might be seeing that brilliant mind at work. Mello wanted to know if he could really be trusted and what better way to test that than to antagonize him. It was like an extreme version of what L had done. He'd unwittingly earned the respect of the young outlaw and he respected Mello as well.

He met Mello's gaze and they acknowledged each other with a nod. 'We have an understanding.'

When L finally came to retrieve him, Light was sitting in the library with Mello, reading in companionable silence. Matt had arrived some time earlier and curled himself against Mello. Jet lag must have gotten to him because he fell asleep in the blonde's lap, snoring softly.

"Hello, Light-kun..." L greeted him softly. He seemed to think that Matt deserved to sleep.

Mello looked up briefly from a well-worn copy of some Roman text or another, still in it's original Latin, and the two Whammy's orphans greeted each other silently. Almost impulsively, L ruffled Mello's hair and the blonde gave him a not-quite child-like grin; the gesture seemed familiar between them.

Light hadn't even noticed Near until the pale shadow of a boy sat in the seat he'd recently vacated and struck up a quiet conversation with Mello. One small hand wound into his own snowy curls while the other caressed Matt's sleeping face.

"I missed you." Light confessed as he dressed for bed. He wanted nothing more than to curl next to his lover and sleep.

"I missed you, too, Light-kun." L responded with an ease that spoke of honesty, "I hate to be separated from you."

A stirring of that ancient promise hung in the air and nothing was said for a long time as they simply basked in their togetherness.

Light was just settling into his arms for the night when L finally spoke, "What do you think of them?"

Light knew instantly that he was talking about his heirs. "They'll be better, even, than you some day..." It was clear that they worked in flawless harmony; Mello, Matt, and Near were gloriously well suited for each other.

L took that like it was the greatest compliment in the world. "Thank you, Light-kun. Good night"

"Good night, Ryuuzaki." Light whispered back. "I love you."

L fell asleep smiling and Light followed him with a sense of peace so deep-seated that he couldn't shake it. The world was in good hands.


	9. Chapter 9

This took unbelievably long... I had a horrible case of writer's block. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you gave me the push I needed to get writing again.

Does anyone want to RP with me? Let me know please... I'm putting up a link on my profile to a site where you can find me.

I don't own Death Note.

I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Mello meets the make up artist... wait and see how that turns out. Also, a change from their usual clothes, but still no cheerleading uniform. There's a motorcycle race, gambling, dancing, and at the very end, Near finally gets to try out the "Toy" Matt got him.

Near loved Matt... Sometimes he wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around the tech junkie's neck, kiss him full on the mouth, and tell him that he's an absolute heaven-send. Not only did he wake up early to build a fire in the hearth, he also ran them a hot bath... It even had a little yellow rubber ducky floating amongst the steam and foamy bubbles.

"Matt..." Near all but moaned as he sank into the hot water next to Mello, "You are so wonderful..."

The blonde opened contentedly bleary eyes, stretched his arms along the black marble of their tub, and smiled up at their pretty redhead. He looked so serene, submerged to his shoulders in bubbles. "Come join us, Matt..." He invited, trailing damp fingertips down his lover's bare leg.

"I'm not THAT great..." Matt muttered sheepishly, scratching at the back of his head. "I just thought that the two of you could use some rest and relaxation."

"Babe, I'm so grateful. I could fuck you right now..." Mello purred, running his hand up Matt's thigh as he slid into the tub.

Matt gave a little moan and a shiver as the blonde caressed his hip. Near scooted closer to him and slid his hands over the techie's shoulders in a gentle massaging motion. "Thank you, Matt... I haven't had a bubble bath in years..." He murmured happily, nuzzling under the redhead's chin. It was amusing how he blushed more at the praise than he did at their hands on his body. "The duck was a nice touch..."

"I can't get over you..." Mello muttered with a kind of intimate knowledge in his tone, "You SEEM so innocent..." His tongue slid up the back of Near's neck, evoking a shudder of pleasure from the younger. "but you're so naughty..."

Near was just starting to believe that they might get past making out this time, but any hope he might have harbored that Mello would finally try to instigate sex again was thoroughly crushed when Ran floated through the wall into the room. A bucket of ice water couldn't have ruined the mood faster.

"Am I interrupting something?" The Shinigami asked, "Humans are so weird... Especially the one with the yellow hair..."

Mello snarled. So much for a peaceful morning...

Ran went on as though nothing had happened. "I've always wondered what humans see in sex...I watched you but I just can't understand how such an act can be pleasurable... Tell me about it some time."

"You are insufferable..." Mello ground out through clenched teeth, "Go the fuck away..." You simply could not leave the two of them in the same room; it might be the start of a nuclear holocaust.

Ran settled, unperturbed, on top of the mantle and stared intently at them. "I want to see what a human looks like naked."

"No!" Mello snarled right back. He still got ruffled so easily it made Near smile. Maybe he would never grow out of his tantrums. Mello couldn't stand to lose. It just made Near love him more, and he already loved everything about Mello, from his scars to his temper.

Matt was watching the whole exchange like he thought his time could be better spent playing Grand Theft Auto. "Hey, Ran, I'm starting to prune and you really put a damper on the fun, so do you think you can tell us why you're here to begin with?" He asked, drying his hair absently with a fluffy striped towel.

The towels were one of those things that don't really seem important, but they helped make the place a home. Everyone had towels that suited them; Mello's towels were black, Near had white towels, and Matt's had stripes. It was oddly sentimental.

While Near was contemplating the towels, Ran seemed to be considering the question. "Oh, the make-up lady is going to be here any minute. Get ready." She finally announced casually and just like that, she left.

Mello gave a heartfelt "S-h-i-t." drawing out each letter to its fullest. "Fucking scatterbrained Shinigami!"

They almost tripped over three neat stacks of clothes rushing out of the bathroom, but someone had laid out outfits for each of them. There was a note sitting on top of Matt's clothes that said, "This is to thank you for keeping my secret."

It wasn't signed, but Near knew his team's handwriting. He trusted Matt's judgement, so he wouldn't ask about whatever secret he was keeping for Gevanni. That was between the two of them.

Mello visibly shrugged it off and started throwing on clothes. Red silk, as opposed to the usual black leather, brought out almost coppery highlights in his hair. The shirt was a Chinese-style men's shirt. The pants were red-pinstriped, black dress slacks. He barely looked like himself once he was dressed; sexy in a whole new way.

Matt's outfit was slightly less exotic than Mello's, but matched it none the less. He was wearing a suit with red-pinstripes, the jacket was unbuttoned over a tight red tank top. "Who picked the color theme?" He asked, watching Mello strut in front of the mirror. "It works..."

Near carefully lifted his own shirt, finding much to his relief that it was comfortable material, despite its appearance. It was a red, high-necked vest with a black dragon embroidered around it. Like Mello's top, it struck him as Asian in origin. His pants matched Matt's and Mello's.

He noted all of this, because it made it clear that someone was dressing them up like living dolls; someone who knew them well enough to pick clothes that complimented their appearances. He was willing to bet that they were about to come face to face with a fellow Whammy's orphan.

He was proven correct when they walked out into the communal living room. A small woman with blonde hair and fierce brown eyes sat in one of the chairs with a little girl sitting in her lap. As soon as she saw them, she stood and placed the child on the ground. "Mello! Matt! Near! I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" She greeted them enthusiastically, hugging them each in turn. The top of her pony-tail barely reached Mello's shoulders. She still looked more like a child than a woman.

"Meller!" The little girl tried to echo her, pointing at Mello with one chubby baby finger. Mello stood over her imposingly, staring down at her. She stared right back with equal fire in her honey-colored eyes. A little lock of auburn hair fell over her nose, free from her red-brown pigtails.

After a long, tense moment, Mello chuckled. "Cute kid, Becca. How old is she?" He asked.

"Three..." Becca answered, patting her baby on the head, "I named her Michelle. Her alias is Katiana, after your mother." Becca was only seventeen, but she, like Mello, had seen more than her share already.

L walked in then, chatting with an older lady who could have been someone's cookie-baking grandmother if it wasn't for her wardrobe. She was wearing a leather biker jacket and Harley boots; someone who clearly owned a Harley and knew how to ride it.

Light trailed slightly behind them, pushing the cuff up and down his wrist in a gesture that hinted at discomfort. His eyes scanned the room and locked with Matt's, who nodded to him.

"Grandma!" Katiana cooed, throwing herself into the woman's arms. "Meller, this is my Grandma Antonia!" She informed the blonde. It seemed to Near that Mello had become the child's new favorite person.

"Miss Antonia has worked with me on previous cases as a make-up artist. I met her when she first applied to adopt Becca eight years ago. It was regrettable that it took so long for her to be approved, her influence has greatly aided Becca's acting career." L informed them calmly, "I expect all of you to give her your complete respect and cooperation."

"It's nice to meet all of you." Antonia smiled warmly, "L has told me how confident in your abilities he is, and my Becca adores you. I think I'll enjoy working with you."

Everyone stood in mild awkwardness until Mello finally said, "You ever race your bike?"

"Actually, young man, I do. Do you think you can beat an old lady in a race?" Antonia asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"Fifty bucks says I can." Mello answered her, wearing his customary "eat shit" grin in return.

"American?" She wondered aloud, fishing in her purse.

"American..." Mello confirmed, laying aforementioned money on the coffee table.

Near looked to Matt, who winked back at him. They both knew that, although Mello's bike had originally been bought as a toy, it was modified for speed later in the Kira case. The chances that he would win were better than eighty percent.

"We say Mello's a sure-fire win." Matt announced, tossing a crumpled twenty dollar bill onto the table.

"Ya? Well I say Mom's gonna win." Becca sneered, tossing down some money of her own.

"Meller and Grandma are both gonna win..." Katiana cheered with the enthusiasm that only small children could manage. "Grandma says if you try your bestest, you always win."

Matt smiled fondly at the display, kneeling down to her level. "That's true, but that doesn't mean you can't make some money betting on them." He stage whispered conspiratorially.

"Matt, you are teaching my granddaughter very bad habits." Antonia scolded, "You should always be sure of a win before you make a bet."

The base was built with two sub-basement levels, each designed to withstand a nuclear blast. They took the motorcycles down to the lowest level, where Mello had training courses installed to practice high-risk driving. "You just never know when you'll have to outrun psychos on a busy street." Near suspected that he just liked to drive fast.

Standing on the freshly planted sod, watching as Mello rolled his bike up to the starting line next to Antonia, Light turned to Matt, "How can you be so sure that Mello will win?"

"That thing has the engine from a Porsche welded into it, and on top of that Mello had the engine refined so it'll hit 220 easy." Matt told him proudly. It was a cool toy to have, but a dangerous one.

"No one in their right mind would go 220 mph on a motorcycle." Light said incredulously.

Matt just grinned, "This IS Mello we're talking about."

Engines roared to life and they were off. Antonia was in the lead around the first turn, but from his place Near could see Mello grinning like the cat who ate the canary behind his helmet. He was biding his time.

Antonia took the second turn wide and Mello got ahead, staying close to the middle rail. They were running close together at about 120 mph through the first lap, Mello let himself fall behind in the second lap and moved to the middle of the lane. In the third lap, he paced Antonia and wouldn't give an inch. They hit 150 mph at exactly the same time, but in the final lap, Mello laid down the gas. On the straight stretch to the finish line, he pushed his death machine to it's full speed, flattening his torso against the bike to keep from being torn from the seat.

The blonde was forced to slide to a dramatic halt before the next turn or he may very well have flipped the bike into the concrete wall. When he tore off his helmet, his was panting and his eyes were dilated with adrenaline. "Oh, Hell ya!" He shouted, tossing his head back with a worshipful expression on his face. Mello was at his best when he was staring death in the eyes.

Antonia rolled to a stop next to him, grinning fondly. "I like this one. He's got fire in him."

"Mello's devil spawn on that thing. Isn't he glorious?" Matt praised, pulling Mello into his arms. "My Demon."

"Mello is very skilled." L agreed, a pleased smile on his face.

Even Light seemed elated by Mello's performance, going so far as to pat the blonde on the back. "You are one crazy son of a bitch..." He exalted.

Mello accepted the praise with a self-satisfied smirk, but his fierce eyes were all for Near.

That finally broke Near from his enthralled trace and he walked to Mello slowly, resting his head against the blonde's shoulder. "I could never do something like that. I'm not brave enough... You're incredible, Mello..." He confessed, hiding his face against Mello's warm body. "I thought you were going to get yourself killed."

Mello wrapped an arm around him and the other around Matt; it made Near feel safe. "I'm fucking invincible." The enthused blonde assured him, kissing his face softly over and over. "Don't worry, I'm not dying any time soon."

"That was great! Man, you've got guts." Gevanni commented. Like most men, his IQ seemed to drop 20 points upon observing any manner of extreme sport.

Lidner and Matsuda agreed with much enthusiasm, while Katiana jumped up and down cheering, "Meller!"

Becca pretended to sulk, but as soon as she got Mello alone she changed her tune, "You HAVE to teach me to do that! That was amazing!"

Near stood just up the hall, watching impassively as Mello fended her off. She'd adopted him as her older brother long ago; he knew that she wanted to be just like Mello, even if "Just like Mello." translated to "completely insane".

Back in their room, Mello flopped back onto the bed bonelessly with a pleasured sigh. "Matt, babe, turn on some music." He demanded, motioning vaguely to the CD player on the dresser.

Matt picked up the remote and sat down next to Mello, pointing it at the radio and pushing play. "Like" by Taproot blared from the speakers.

Mello murmured the words as they played, "You look like me, I'm sorry for you. You talk like me, I can't understand you. You think like me, you're fucking crazy..." He trailed off and gave a laugh, picking back up on the second verse, all out singing now, "You act like me, cause you're embarrassing. You talk to me, but don't listen. You think like me, you're so damn crazy. You want to be me, but that's okay because you remind me of me..." He stopped singing so suddenly that it startled Near and demanded that Matt turn on something with more of a beat.

Matt complied, switching to Korn on the CD changer. "Twisted Transistor" came on and Mello perked up immediately. It seemed that he couldn't resist the sway of the music because the blonde rose from the bed like a graceful puppet moved by invisible strings and pulled Matt into a reluctant dance.

At first he swayed to the beat, but soon enough he had his arms in the air, writhing in time with the music. Matt joined in and the two circled each other with graceful steps, their faces mere inches apart like they would fight, or kiss.

Mello's mood had apparently infected his red-haired lover. They started to belt out the words to the song as they circled. "... Because the music do, and it is raging inside you, Forever preaching, Fuck you too, your scream's a whisper... hang on you... Twisted Transistor ... Hey you, hey you. Finally you get it. The world ain't fair... eat you if you let it..."

It was surreal watching them engaged in such a primitive dance with only the dying fire to cast an eerie glow over the scene. They were gorgeous and frightening at the same time, then the song ended and the spell was broken. The two dissolved into wild laughter with twin looks of joy gracing their features as they collapsed back onto the bed.

"C'mon, Near, loosen up!" Matt prompted, dragging him into the middle of their hardwood floor to waltz to a song called "Calling All Cars" by a band that he didn't recognize.

"This song is hardly romantic, Matt." He commented as Matt twirled him across the floor.

"Don't listen to the lyrics, just dance." Matt replied, "It doesn't have to be romantic, it's supposed to be fun. Stop over-analyzing everything."

After that he tried; he made an honest effort to enjoy himself. It wasn't like they'd just let him sit and play with his toys anyway. When Matt dipped him without warning, he almost lost his balance, but the redhead kept him up and pecked a kiss to his lips before handing him off to Mello.

They danced for most of the afternoon, and by dinner-time Near found himself so exhausted he could barely hold himself upright. Mello remedied the problem, however, by carrying him to the dining room bridal style. He imagined that he must have looked considerably disheveled by the time he made it into one of the comfortable, cushioned chairs clustered around the table. In fact, the chances of that seemed very high, because Antonia smiled knowingly at him.

He gave a sad shake of his head.

Mello seemed to take pleasure from danger. It wasn't like him to waste an opportunity like today. Back at Whammy's, he'd been known to push Matt down for something as simple as his first leap from the high-dive. Near tried to seek solace in the fact that Mello was older now, less ruled by his hormones, but it did little for his fragile confidence. He couldn't help but wonder if the blonde simply didn't want him in particular.

A few minutes into his dinner, Near felt as though he was being watched. He glanced up from his plate, only to catch Mello's eyes on him. The blonde leveled a steady, heated glance in his direction, almost like he was daring him to turn away. Near stared right back, trying to make his fire match Mello's. He barely managed to stay still when Matt's hand slid up his thigh. Watching the blonde at his right, he hadn't paid enough attention to the redhead at his left.

Matt's fingers traced letters against his thigh slowly. W E then a pause W A N T another pause Y O U.

Near felt his cheeks heat up even before Becca started to snicker.

"What did you do to him?" Light asked Matt from across the table; he sounded amused, "I wasn't aware that Near could turn that color."

Matt just put both hands back on the table and shrugged, seemingly indifferent. "Must have been Mello..."

After the little dinner fiasco, Near wasn't kept in the dark for long. Matt caught him in the hall and hugged him from behind. "Hey..." He greeted, his voice was lower than normal, flirtatious.

"Hello, Matt..." The pale boy responded, trying to keep his curiosity out of his tone. "Tell me why the two of you are behaving so strangely."

Instead of answering, Matt led him back to their room. "Near, kiss me." He all but begged, "I'll tell you everything, just kiss me..."

Near blinked in surprise. What had gotten into Matt? There was only one way to find out... The pale boy leaned up and planted a gentle kiss on the redhead's lips.

Matt didn't seem happy with a gentle kiss, because his tongue was forced into Near's mouth almost instantly and the younger boy found his back against the striped sheets all too quickly as the video game addict ravaged his mouth. "Mmm, Near." He moaned as he came up for air, then his mouth and tongue were back, kissing sensuously.

When the kiss finally ended, Matt sat up awkwardly and leaned against the headboard. "So... I guess you want to know what's going on..."

Near motioned for him to go on. He was curious and, as much as he hated to admit it, he was turned on.

"You cried... Mello was sure we'd done something wrong, so he said not to try to initiate sex until you asked for it." Matt explained, "But I'm really, really horny."

"That would explain your strange behavior lately..." Near concluded as he crawled into Matt's lap and pressed close, his thin arms draped loosely around the redhead's neck. "I came to you. How long will Mello be?"

"About eight or nine inches..." Matt answered, straight faced as he stared down at Near with hot eyes.

The pale boy could feel his cheeks turning pink. It seemed that Matt was in the mood to turn anything he said into innuendo. Maybe he should have phrased it differently.

"You're so adorable..." Matt murmured, sucking his neck softly. "Mello will be here soon..."

No sooner did it leave his mouth the aforementioned blonde walked into the room, looking for all the world like a slug exploded on him. He was wearing a white T-shirt that hung to his knees and stuck to his skin in places. What was visible of him around the cotton was covered in something thick and slimy, presumably Vaseline.

"Matt, haul your ass out from under Near and run me a fucking bath." He demanded right off. Someone didn't seem happy, but then who would with their entire body covered in petroleum jelly?

Poor Mello stood there wiping gooey gel out of his scars while Matt went to run a bath. "You're looking suitably debauched." He commented offhandedly, his eyes wandering over Near's body as though he could see through the fabric that covered it.

It was a pretty good trick, because Near already knew that his left eye could pick up shadows at best. It must be difficult to make both eyes appear focused when one was blind.

Less than ten minutes later Mello had wiped as much of the goo from his skin as possible and slid into the tub between Matt and Near. "Matt, wash me..." He murmured, nuzzling the redhead's chest seductively. His pink tongue darted out to tease Matt's nipple.

Near reached out to caress his hands down the tempting expanse of Mello's back. The pretty blonde jumped at the contact, but didn't object, so the pale boy continued to wash him tenderly.

Soon Mello was writhing and making sounds that had nothing to do with being washed. It made Near cast Matt a suspicious look.

The gamer was putting his hands to good use on the blond's nipples; tugging and tweaking them until Mello couldn't hold back his moans. When he caught Near's glance, Matt smirked and slid his hand further along Mello's toned abs. "Here..." He offered, grabbing the blond's shoulders suddenly and turning him to face Near, "You want to touch him too, right?"

Mello smiled up at him tranquilly. "Touch me, Near..." He murmured, bringing his pale lover's hand to his groin.

Near curled his fingers around the blonde's hardness and stroked curiously. The skin was soft and he could feel the pulse of Mello's body just beneath the surface.

The chocolate addict gave a little jerk and a low moan crawled from his throat as pale fingers lingered on the sensitive head of his arousal. "Come here..." He groaned, pulling Near into his lap. Near found himself echoing Mello's moans when the blonde rubbed their groins together roughly. "Let me make you feel good."

It was terrifying, but the pale boy nodded his head in consent and found himself being washed provocatively. Mello's hand slid downward to wash between his legs and he sobbed in pleasure as the older boy drew out each movement. He watched through half-glazed eyes as Matt's fingers scratched through Mello's pretty golden hair, lathering it with foam and bubbles.

Mello leaned into the touch contentedly and when Matt's fingers ran over the area just behind his ear, a shudder ran through his whole body. Matt seemed to take extra time rinsing the soap from Mello's hair; then Mello lifted Near from the tub and they all traipsed into the bedroom.

Instead of going to the bed, as Near had anticipated, Mello carried him over to sit on the soft rug in front of the fire and Matt sprawled himself in one of the armchairs surrounding it. The chair had stripes.

Mello's voice came soft and reassuring as the blond's arms found their way around him. "Suck him, Near. Let me show you how." Then he crawled to Matt and sat between his spread legs. By some miracle of Mello-ness, the blonde made crawling unbelievably sexy, almost like a leopard stalking its prey. "Don't be afraid..." His husky whisper was both an assurance and a demand; like he could sense Near's apprehension. He trailed long, graceful fingers down the length of Matt's body, then pressed his hands, palms flat, against the redhead's thighs.

Matt's hands came up to tangle in Mello's golden hair as the blond leaned forward and licked along his abdomen then slowly caressed his fingers over Matt's desire. The entire time his eyes were locked with Matt's even as he lowered his head to lick his swollen member lovingly.

It was obvious who was in charge. Near could tell that Mello wanted to watch Matt's expression as he came undone. It was painfully arousing to watch Mello suck gently on the very head of Matt's penis... To watch Matt toss his head back and stroke Mello's damp hair tenderly.

"More, Mello... Please..." He begged; his green eyes half-closed, and his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Near desperately wanted to be touched, watching them had left him in a painful state of arousal. Luckily, Mello had noticed.

"Do you want to have him now?" He asked, motioning to their panting lover.

Matt opened his eyes just enough to show a flash of green and held out a hand to Near.

The pale boy took the offered hand and held it as he settled in front of the redhead. With a painful slowness, he leaned down and touched the very tip of his tongue to Matt's hardness.

Matt gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. It made him feel a little braver, knowing that Matt wouldn't hurt him, and slowly he took it into his mouth. The other boy's answering groan encouraged him and he started to suck softly. It really wasn't that bad; the silky skin actually felt good against his lips and Matt tasted like sea-water and lingering hints of Mello's chocolate.

Soon Mello's hands were on his thighs, and he felt the blonde's tongue slide up his back. "I'm going to stretch you. Try to relax." He whispered, siding a lubed finger over Near's entrance. As that long, graceful finger slid into his body, the pale boy gave a sob around Matt's length. It was uncomfortable, full and tight, but it wasn't really painful.

Matt's fingers curled into his hair. "Oh, damn... Near..."

All he could do was pant around the flesh in his mouth and wait for the feeling to pass. Slowly Mello stretched him further, until he the discomfort faded and pleasure took its place. "Mmm, Mello..." He gasped, yanking away from Matt suddenly.

"You ready?" The blonde asked him, pressing the phallus against him.

"I... I'm not sure..." He answered honestly, but his fear didn't seem worth losing this sensation.

"I'll go easy." Mello told him, and suddenly the vibrator was sinking into him.

"Ah... ah... Mello." He panted throatily. It felt odd and painful, and wonderful. Then Mello switched it on and he couldn't think anymore.

Near barely realized what was happening when Matt slid to the floor in front of him. He just laid there with his cheek against the rug, watching as Mello finger fucked Matt roughly and Matt cried out his name- their names- over and over again. The pale boy could feel the orgasm building low in his belly. It was shameful, so much pleasure from something inside him, but he couldn't help rubbing himself against the floor in an attempt to relieve the pressure.

"Don't..." Mello demanded harshly. "Not yet, Near." Suddenly that strong, lean arm was curled around his waist, lifting him into Mello's arms.

The blonde positioned him over Matt, but his arms gave out and he found himself collapsed across the boy. In a sort of giddy, pre-orgasmic haze, he licked one of the red-haired boy's nipples playfully.

Mello gave a frustrated grunt and propped him up again. "Count on you, Near..." he muttered, maneuvering them until the pale boy was sliding into Matt's body easily. It set everything in motion. The feeling of being surrounded by another's body again, tight and hot, had him moving awkwardly. Then Mello did something completely unexpected; he lifted Matt and entered him as well.

The redhead gave a little cry of pain, but other than that, he didn't object. In fact, soon he was panting hotly. "Oh... Mello... Near... More." He begged, squirming were he was caught impaled on both of them.

Mello was playing with the vibrator, pulling it and pushing it, by this point, and they were all riding the edge of orgasm. Matt came first, dragging them with him to the heights of pleasure.

Before Near had a chance to come down from the bliss, Mello pulled the phallus out of him and tossed it aside carelessly before collapsing onto the carpet. The fire was burning low, but not one of them cared.

They didn't even have the energy to crawl to the bed. The three teens simply curled together on the soft rug and fell into an exhausted slumber.

I love your reviews... Each one is like a brightly wrapped Christmas present.


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry for the long wait. Thank you to everyone who reviewed.

I seriously think Matt's a closet romantic...

I still don't own death note... Maybe if i win the lottery?

Please enjoy...

Breakfast the next morning was a three ring circus. Although, to Near, it was considerably more entertaining than one.

Matsuda was sitting in a distinctly L-like manner, while Gevanni fussed over him like a jealous lover. It wasn't hard to figure out what had happened. The real question was; Could this be love, or was it purely physical?

On the other side of the table, Becca and Lidner were huddled together reading a printout. Apparently it was an E-mail from someone named Ted. Becca's eyes paused mid-page and she gave a whistle. "Hal, for shame!"

Of coarse, if the breakfast table really was a circus, Light and L would take center stage. "L, you have to eat healthier." The younger detective prompted, holding a fork filled with scrambled eggs in front of the eccentric detective's mouth.

"Light-kun, you know my reasoning ability will decrease it I don't take in the proper amount of sweets." L protested, but Light was ready for him.

"L, as much as I love you're body under mine, I'm going to have to deny you unless you eat something good for you."

Those dark eyes widened fractionally before L took a grudging bite of the eggs. Apparently, Light was just that good.

After breakfast, Antonia came for Mello. The old lady had strands of white hair sticking out in all directions and there was some kind of art material dried in patches across her face. "Good morning." She greeted them with an all too knowing look. "Did you sleep well?"

Matt groaned. "You are a mean, mean old lady..."

She just grinned at him and led Mello out of the room.

Once Mello was gone, Matt set up three laptops across the floor and sat in front of them.

Near shrugged and sat down to watch the hacker work. Mello must have asked him to retrieve some information. Rows upon rows of numbers and letters scrawled across the screen of one computer while, on the adjacent screen, confidential police files opened one by one. L could have just asked for the files, but Mello didn't have that kind of security clearance. Then again, who needs cooperation when you have Matt? He probably got the files faster anyway.

The red-haired hacker worked well into lunch, and eventually, Near was compelled to bring him sandwiches. When he got back, Matt was still working diligently, half of a chewed up lollipop hanging from the edge of his lips like his cigarettes used to. Only his gloved fingers moved over the keys.

"Near... There's a second pattern..." Distribution tables appeared on the third screen as Matt typed in commands. The first pattern, the deaths among cheerleaders, was done in red and overlaid by the second pattern, done in blue. "For every cheerleader who dies, two prostitutes are killed."

"Killed?"

"There's no explanation for the cheerleaders, therefore, they died. The hookers were choked to death manually. The connection is the suffocation." Matt explained as he printed off the information for Mello to look at later. "And they were all dressed up like school girls, even the boys."

"There were boys?" Near asked. This was a new development. "Were the boys raped too?"

"There were three cross-dressers among the twenty odd prostitutes who were killed. All of them had fresh semen... But in their line of work, it's hard to tell if it was rape or a recent job."

Near nodded. This had to be a sensitive topic for Matt. "Can this help us at all?"

"The working girls tend to keep a list... like a warning for bad tricks." Matt explained, using his finger to draw a diagram in the carpeting. "If he's attacked the girls before and one got away, there'd be a description of him on that list. We'd have something to work with, at least."

Near gave another nod and offered Matt a bologna sandwich. "They won't just give us the list, will they...?"

"Not to detectives... but if there was a new girl on the walk, they might give it to her..."

"Why am I not liking where this is going?" Near was just a bit unnerved by the calculating look he was receiving.

"Because you and Becca are the only ones we can afford to put out there right now." Mello was back, leaning against the door frame in full cheer uniform, complete with a purple trimmed, cream blouse and a violet skirt. "And we'd have to use both of you."

"Shit, Mello. If I didn't know it was you..." Matt muttered, openly staring at the changes to the blonde's body. "You make a really hot chick. They even feel real!"

Mello swatted Matt's hands away from his "breasts" with an irritated growl. "If you'd rather have a girl..."

"You know that isn't what I meant!" Matt protested, trying to kiss the blond and getting a slap for his efforts. "You're really sadistic, do you know that?"

"Then you must be a masochist." The blond licked the red hand mark on his lover's cheek almost tenderly. "So, Near, it looks like you'll be playing this game too."

"So it seems..."

"The million dollar question..." Matt intoned, "Do you think we can get Light to wear a pimp suit?"

Light took it well enough, ("ABSOLUTELY NOT! FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, IT'S PINK!") and soon, (with L's help, "Light-kun, you can sleep alone for a week.") they managed to convince him to help with their plans.

By the time that was accomplished, it was time for Mello to go to cheer try-outs.

Where Antonia's art had lessened Mello's age, it made Lidner older. She was playing the part of his (her) mother for this stage of the game.

They each took a place in the bleachers as Mello (Beth) walked to the try-out signups. Near watched as Lidner took her place in the lower level and Matt walked up to greet Mello (Beth)

"Bethany, its very nice to meet you!" The coach was so loud that Near could hear him in the upper row, where he sat between Light and L.

Mello looked down, muttered something. He did a good impression of a flattered girl.

"Are you ready?" The coach was working the crowd as much as he was asking Mello.

The pretty blonde nodded. When the coach gave him the go-ahead, he took four steps forward, jumped into the air, curled his beautiful body, and did a triple front flip. He caught himself on one hand and flipped himself backwards; his back arched in graceful parody of pleasure as he performed a double backflip and stuck his landing on Matt's shoulders. The crowd was his.

"I think we have a winner." The coach announced. Like there was any doubt.

A blonde girl walked over. She didn't seem happy. There was an exchange of words, during which Mello's lip twitched in that tell-tale way. He said something back and she stormed away.

"She was the girl Mello's replacing." Matt explained later.

Mello sat at the dinner table, looking very much himself again, and Near felt a sense of incomprehensible relief. He couldn't exactly explain it, but watching Mello do something he knew he didn't like actually hurt.

"It's okay, Near..." Mello's soft palm was against his cheek, caressing gently like he knew what Near was thinking. "We'll be fine..."

And they would, as long as the three of them were together, nothing could hurt them. His own hand came up to cover Mello's. There was just the faintest scar on the back of his thin wrist.

They only realized that they were lost in each other when Becca "Aww"ed at their apparent "cute-factor".

Matt was grinning like a loon, his fork half way to his already-cold steak. Near wasn't entirely sure what his red-haired lover was thinking, but it had nothing to do with jealousy.

It was easy to convince people that Mello was a cheerleader, the flips and jumps came naturally to him after years of martial arts practice. It was convincing anyone that Near was a whore that was the problem.

Near had a grand total of two sexual experiences, both of which had been gentle and reassuring. There would be no room for that tonight, and he wasn't sure he could do it. It would have to be... oral... He really didn't like oral. It made him feel defenseless... afraid.

Light would be there... Near suppressed a cringe as Becca applied his make-up for the night. The former Kira was his back up and his "mission" was to have sex in public... In front of Light and Becca and anyone else who felt like watching... The pale boy couldn't suppress the flinch this time.

"Hey, 's okay." Becca whispered, giving his shaking hand a squeeze. "You'll be okay... Mello isn't going to let anything hurt you."

Mello's gorgeous eyes flashed in the dimly lit alley a few hours later. They were almost the only thing visible between the beat up army jacket he had pulled up past his chin and the greasy baseball cap his hair was hidden beneath.

They'd moved into position without so much as a ripple of suspicion, and finally, after what seemed like an eternity of gut-wrenching fear, it was time to put their plan into action.

"Hey, honey... Looking for a friend?" He asked, trying to sound flirty and feminine. He even ran his hands down the pleats of his pink skirt, despite how uncomfortable even wearing it made him.

The blond's voice took on a tone Near had never heard before... Thick and dripping like poisoned honey. "Depends... Are you a good friend?"

"I'm a great friend... If you have enough money..." Just this act made Near want to be sick, but to win the game, he'd play the part.

"Tell you what, doll-baby. I'll even pay for the room... How would you like that?" Mello was still reminding him of a snake, coiled and waiting to strike, but he could almost feel the true intention behind the words. The blonde gave him a gentle shove into the passenger seat of a beat-up blue chevy.

As they pulled into the lot of a dingy motel, Mello turned a grin on him and pulled a bag from beneath the seat. It turned out that the bag was from an adult video store, and Mello popped the tape into the VCR as soon as they walked in...

Near tilted his head and gave the blonde a quizzical look, which was answered all to quickly, "Nobody else knows what you sound like when you moan."

That was good enough for him. "So what do we do for the next half an hour?" The pale boy viewed cuddling as an excellent way to show his appreciation at the moment, and from the way he pulled the pale boy closer, Mello approved.

"Cocoa and puzzles?" Matt answered as he walked in from an adjoining room, balancing a tray on one hand so he could get the door with the other. "And jumping on the bed... For verisimilitude..." He added, flopping back on the not-so-soft surface after he stowed the hot chocolate on the table. Mello pounced on him. A pillow fight ensued.

Near tried... and failed... to bite back a laugh when Mello tumbled gracelessly to the floor, Matt sprawled across his torso.

"Guess I'm on top, huh?" The red-head quipped, sitting up on Mello's stomach and reaching for his drink.

"Guess again, uke." Mello yelped in mock defensiveness, rolling them so he could sit on Matt.

In the end, Mello sat in Matt's lap sipping his drink while Near curled up beside him and solved a stack of sudoku books. Every so often he felt obligated to lean into Mello's hand where it was petting his hair. "Is it time yet?"

Mello gave him a thoughtful look, then ruffled his hair almost violently. Before he even had a chance to protest he was being kissed senseless and Matt was feeling him up.

"Now it's time." The slightly crazy blonde announced after another moment of contemplation. Not that Near would ever admit that he thought Mello was crazy.

He barely had to wait five minutes after Mello dropped him off for one of the working girls to approach him. "Hey, hun, you listen to me. That kind of man is dangerous. You never know what they'll do."

"What can I do, I don't have a choice." He tilted his head in that way that Becca assured him 'upped the cute factor by at least ten percent'.

"Oh, honey, I know. There's a list... here it is... At least watch out for the men on here, okay hun?" She seemed so sympathetic, it made Near feel bad for deceiving her.

"Why do you do it?" He asked softly, "This."

"Why am I a prostitute, hun? I have a little boy in the hospital and I can't make ends meet." She answered, "Why're you, hun?"

"Because I have a responsibility to protect people." He answered, looking into her eyes with all of his true intelligence. "Go home... Take care of your son..." He pulled a napkin and scrawled the number for his private line on it. "Call this number first thing tomorrow and ask for Near."

He wasn't entirely sure why he felt for her, but it seemed like the least he could do. A few hundreds were enough to convince her to go home, at least for tonight.

After waiting another twenty minuted in extreme boredom, a police car cruised down the vacant street. Everyone else made with the disappearing, but Near, Light, and Becca let Gevanni cuff them and place them in the back of the car.

"That was... Odd." Near commented, leaning back against Matt in the tub. He was more than a little glad to be home... and out of that skirt.

"Um-hm," Matt's deft fingers worked over his sore wrists as the three of them soaked. "Can't wait to sleep..."

"Hnn..." Mello seemed to be well on his way to asleep already, so Matt had to dry him off and tuck him in.

"Love you..." The red-haired gamer whispered in the dark.

"Love you, too." Near whispered back as he closed his eyes on a long day.

I Love reviews almost as much as the boys love each other...


	11. Chapter 11

I don't own Death Note.

To everyone who's still with me, your reviews make me so happy. I'm sorry this took so long.

Thus our heros enter the most frightening environment known to man... High school.

I hope the OCs in this chapter weren't too horrible. They were just filler characters, but still. Also, I was using what little I know about handwriting analysis at the beginning, so bear with me. I used Miss Yagami, as opposed to Yagami-san, to eliminate possible confusion, as san can denote a male or a female and I have no intention of bringing Light's father back from the dead, as much as I miss him.

"Is Near awake yet?" Matt asked his blonde companion once he realized Mello had joined him. He was sprawled across their floor on one of the rugs that littered the room. It was the striped one, which was fundamentally different from the black one and the white one, because the striped one was his.

"No, he deserves some sleep." Mello answered, pointing in the general direction of the clock. The glowing green numbers on its face read 3:45, damn. Then again, between school and soccer practice, he needed to look over the list while he had the chance.

With that thought, he turned his green eyes back to the black and white photocopy before him. It was littered with little side notes, scribbled in orange pen. One of the women wrote with long, flowing script, she was probably confident, it seemed likely that she was a high class call girl from one of the better "stables". Another wrote with letters so close together that it was hard to read. She was probably a run away, escaping an abusive home only to get picked up by some pimp and put out on the walk.

Matt would never admit that he helped Mello this much; Mello was the genius, he just made the side notes. After all, while Mello was busy perfecting anything and everything, Matt had learned to specialize. He did language, weapons, explosives, spy work, and acted as an extra pair of eyes... In other words, he collected the information and it was up to Mello to process it.

"I was thinking about this." He gestured to the list with his pen. "And I think we should look at the street girls first, ya know... The girls who work the alleys are more likely to know what's going on than than the ones who work out of an... establishment."

"Okay, Matt, which ones?" The blonde was leaning over his shoulder to read the notes he'd made. Matt loved how much Mello trusted him.

"I marked them for you."

"Good job. Go get ready."

He really did try not to grin like an idiot, but when Mello complimented him, it was really hard not to smile.

Matt glanced down at his school logo jacket and the baggy pants he was wearing. It really didn't suit him; he just didn't go for the boxers-above-the-pants look. To complete the disguise, he took a liberal amount of gel and spiked his hair.

"Mello, I feel like a total dick-wad."

"You look like a jock, it's the same thing." Mello shrugged, then went back to squirming into the 'woman suit'.

"This is really funny if you think about it..." Matt commented offhandedly.

"Really, how so?" Mello's eyes narrowed slightly, he even paused long enough to wait for an answer.

"The way we're dressed, it's ridiculous. You hate being mistaken for a girl and I hate school spirit."

"The irony could be cut with a knife." Mello smiled ruefully and kissed Matt, holding the red-head's face carefully between his palms.

After that they lapsed into a silence so complete that it was almost a relief when Near broke the monotony. "Good morning, Matt, Mello."

"Good morning, Near..." Mello's voice was a sultry purr that Becca had taught him to use. Not that Mello didn't purr anyway, but Becca taught him to do a feminine purr.

Near looked stricken, like maybe he wasn't sure if he should laugh or offer sympathy. In the end, he schooled his face back into a neutral mask and helped Mello put on his "face".

Antonia's work was pretty impressive, in a few minutes Mello's face was softer and rounder with no trace of the scars. He really did look like a girl like that. Matt missed the scars instantly.

"So, Matty, tell me... Does this skirt make me look fat?"

"You should wear it without the woman suit, let me bend you over the bed." Matt couldn't help the grin when his comment made Near turn dusty-pink and brought out the feral gleam in Mello's eyes.

"I might have to take you up on that offer..."

Breakfast was a pain in the ass. No one but Matt and Light could cook anything that didn't taste like charcoal or induce seizures from the insane sweetness, and neither of them had time to cook. They were in desperate need of help.

Matt should have known better than to worry, however, because L was always on top of these things. "Everyone, Miss Yagami and Sayu-chan will be arriving this afternoon. Please treat them well."

The look on Light's face was absolutely priceless. When he finally stopped gawking, he grabbed L up out of his chair and hoisted him onto his hips before practically devouring his mouth. "I thought I'd never get to see them again. God I love you sometimes."

"Only sometimes, Light-kun?"

"Only when I'm breathing..."

"Orgasms don't count?" L tilted his head and blinked once, twice before Matt fell out of his seat laughing. Light had the most precious look of horror on his face and L looked so terribly amused by the whole situation.

The mental image it brought to mind wasn't one he particularly needed, but Matt filed it away for later... just in case.

"Well, that was special." Mello muttered around a crispy piece of bacon, "Who let Gevanni near the stove?"

Lidner immediately pointed at Matsuda, who pointed at Becca who was also pointing at Matsuda. Since Antonia was pointing at Matsuda too, it was fair to assume one of two possible situations had occurred: Either A) It was Matsuda. or B) The girls had joined forces to frame Matsuda. It didn't matter which it was anyway, because Mello threw the soggy Bacon at the poor, air-head police officer and stalked out of the room.

Oh well, back to pondering Light and L and orgasms. He was SO hacking the security system tonight...

Twenty minutes later, Matt was standing at the bus stop, seriously considering the possibility that "normal kids" were lacking important higher functions.

"So, who do you think you are, carrot-top," The boy heckling him had a neck thicker than Matt's torso. "Coming onto my turf without paying homage?"

"The name's Matt, and I think I'll keep my lunch money, thanks." Matt was pretty sure he could take the big guy, and on the off chance that he couldn't, Mello was wearing spike heals. "Lemme guess, Tiny?"

"Shut the fuck up, you shrimp." 'Tiny' took a swing at him, but all Matt had to do was sidestep him.

"FYI, Tiny, the muscles you get using steroids look impressive, but they don't do shit if you can't fight." Another swing of that massive arm, and Matt ducked under this one. "I know kendo, karate, Tai-kwon-do, and a whole bunch of other impressive words."

Just when Matt was starting to think that he'd have to beat this guy down, the bus finally came and 'Tiny' took the easy way out and hurried to his seat.

"Matty, help me onto the bus..." To everyone else, Matt must have looked like a doting boyfriend, taking 'Beth's' hand and walking one step ahead of her up the bus stairs. What they didn't know was that Mello was probably afraid of falling and making a fool of himself. The former mob boss was graceful, but eight-inch spikes were a little much even for him on those stairs.

Becca insisted, however. According to her, Mello still didn't walk like a girl without the spikes.

"Oh, Dude, what a Babe." The boy Matt sat next to whispered, finger combing his tawny hair. "She your sister?"

Matt gave a chuckle. "You wish, man."

"Oh shit. Sorry, Man, I didn't realize..." There was a pause that Matt interpreted as nervous. "She act as soft as she looks?"

"She's a firecracker under all those soft curves. Don't piss her off... Trust me."

Matt found out later that he had the other boy in his first two classes. His name was George, and he apparently excelled in psychology.

"Matt, Man, Did you see that test? I'm gonna bomb for sure."

Matt smirked, "I bet ten bucks I'll pass with a 98 or better."

"No way, twenty buck says you'll get a lower grade than me." George stretched his hands above his head and rolled his shoulders. The smirk on his face melted a second later. "Don't look now, but here comes your Foxy Lady."

Mello was gonna love that one. Foxy did describe him pretty well though. Beth had every guy in the hall looking. "Matty! I missed you so bad!" 'She' squealed, throwing herself into Matt's arms.

It was odd catching Beth. Mello was usually all hard muscle, 'Beth' was all soft curves. By the time Mello let him go, Matt had a red slash of lipstick on his face.

"I missed you too, Beth. Why the sudden display of affection?"

"I hate these people, Matty... My day has been so horrible... You love me, don't you?" The pout was for effect, and although it worked well with Mello's full mouth, it wouldn't have looked right at all on his real face. Mello didn't pout, not like that, but apparently 'Beth' did.

"Aw, Sunshine, oh coarse I love you. Here, have some chocolate, it'll make you feel better."

Matt got a barely disguised glare for his use of 'Sunshine' but the look of relief that crossed his lover's face when he produced a chocolate bar from his book-bag was worth it. The sloppy kiss planted on his mouth tasted of chocolate and Mello under the chemical taste of lipstick, and it made the entire day just a little bit better.

He could tell that it took every ounce of control in Mello's body to lick the chocolate, as opposed to biting into it greedily and hiding away in some dark corner. He honestly wondered what horrible things might happen if Mello really had to go an entire day without his favorite sweet. He suspected it would involve explosions. Mello always did like blowing things up.

"She really likes chocolate, doesn't she?" George asked after Mello walked away.

"All girls like chocolate." Matt dismissed, "It's just a matter of how upset they are when you give it to them."

George nodded like it was a huge life's lesson, which immediately clued Matt in on the fact that George probably hadn't been popular until he joined the soccer team. Matt wasn't used to anyone looking up to him as a role model, he wasn't sure what to do with it.

Matt was just getting his lunch when Mello contacted him again. The cell phone in his pocket vibrated once and went still, a text message. Once he got to a table, he sat down and checked it.

//Rick is a nice guy.

Just now, I met him on the way to class.

Went to get a drink and he even offered to hold my hair back.

In the next few days, I hope I can see you more, Matty.

The opportunity we want might be soon.

Soccer won't distract you will it?

Coach's going easy on me 'cause I'm new.

Office called today, Mom says you can come over.

And she won't even be there, isn't that so cool?

They're staying late for a meeting at her work.

Having you over would be great.

Sex sound good today?//

The fact that the actual message didn't make much sense didn't phase Matt, he knew that the real message was done the same as Light's messages as Kira to L. The first word of every line was the only thing he had to read and to anyone else it looked like he was meeting his girlfriend for sex... but it was still funny that Mello used proper grammar in text messages.

He would have laughed, but the real message was too disturbing for that. Rick was the team captain so why was he fucking the coach?

"Hey, Foxy, you out to embarrass me? You just had to send a message like that during lunch, didn't you?" Matt greeted his blonde lover when they met before practice.

"Watch it, or I'll do worse." The tone was teasing and 'Beth' even flicked him in the nose playfully, but he knew that Mello meant it. He didn't even want to think about "Worse".

Matt gave a chuckle and hauled 'Beth' into his arms. "I'll be a good dog from now on, okay, Foxy."

"More like a rabbit; I'll be eating you." Mello's voice answered him in a dry whisper that implied that he'd like being eaten. The blonde stayed pressed against him a moment longer, and Matt wondered what was showing in his eyes that he didn't want his fellow students to see. When the other finally moved, it was 'Beth' that smiled up at him and waved as she ran off to cheer practice.

Coach Christiens made Matt uncomfortable. He wasn't sure if it was because the man was having sex with students in his office or the way the man was sizing him up that gave him the willies, but something was wrong.

"Matt! Welcome to the team!" The greeting was warm enough, but in Matt's mind, it could have been, 'Hello, Eve! Would you like an apple?'

"Nice to be here, Coach." The smile Matt flashed was the one he reserved for special occasions, like wiring Mello's hideout to blow; His 'pleasantly blank' smile.

Kicking a ball around with the guys was fun. He actually missed the camaraderie of group sports. Mello had been his only friend for so long that the easy give and take among the players was as alien as it was welcoming.

"Matt, ease up. We won't bite, there aren't any of those on my team." Ya, Rick was a real charmer. If only he knew.

"Sorry, I'm just a little tense." Matt admitted.

"Ha, I noticed. Look, we're all buddies on my team. We hang out, talk about girls and sex, guy things. You don't have to worry." Rick said 'girls' like he thought Matt needed to be reminded which sex he should want to talk about.

"You met my girlfriend, Beth, earlier, didn't you?"

"The hot new blonde cheerleader?"

"That's her."

"Nice." Rick whistled, "You ever pass her around?"

"I really hope you aren't asking what I think you're asking..." Matt kept the pleasant smile on his face, but he let his voice drop into that tone Mello used sometimes. The voice that said, 'you better be joking, or we're going to have problems.'

He really hadn't realized that he was going though the motions, dribbling the ball down the field, until George clapped him on the shoulder. "Good job, Matt! Man, you can get a goal without even trying, and on our best goalie, too!"

"You are good. Don't take my job, okay?" Rick was using it to get out of answering, but Matt let it slide and practice went smoothly. Apparently, all the training Mello forced on him made sports easy.

Matt was cooling off, doing pull ups, when the coach walked up holding a piece of folded notebook paper on a book. Matt's mind immediately supplied 'Kira' and 'shit' as possible responses. "Hey, Coach, what's up?"

"I need to know how to spell your name for your jersey."

"Oh, that's all. You had me worried for a minute there... It's M-A-T-T-H-E-W N-O-L-A-N." Matt's mind was working double time. Mello was supposed to be the bait, but it looked like he'd caught the Canadian Kira's eye first. "So, coach, can I go now? I'm meeting my girlfriend after practice."

"Sure, Matt, but why don't you meet me tomorrow at lunch."

"Okay... No prob." He really wanted to get the hell out of there. Luckily, the Coach seemed happy with his response.

Matt met up with Mello and Light actually picked them up from school; not only did he pick them up, he did it in a sparkly new red Mustang that made Matt's mouth water. L was with him. "Matty, come on! I'm on a date! I don't have all day!"

"Coming, Chris!" Matt yelled back, turning to say good-bye to George, only to realize that the boy was staring in awe at the car.

"Holy shit, Man, Can I touch it?" George was talking to Light, not him.

"You'll have to ask Roy about that." Light (Chris) inclined his head toward L.

"Don't scratch the paint." L (Roy) nodded, but kept his face almost blank behind the mirrored sunglasses he was wearing. He probably looked like a college student, bored with the little high school kid.

George ran his hand, carefully, over the car then looked over at Light. "Dude, you are so lucky. I'd date a guy if he'd let me drive a car like this!"

'Chris' smiled at him, "Dating a guy isn't that different from dating a girl, he just doesn't care as much if I don't bring him flowers and poetry."

George got a good laugh out of that, "Good luck on your date, I guess."

By the time they finally got to the safe house, Matt wanted to shoot something. Normally that was Mello's thing, but he was having a shitty day.

"Here, Matt." Near had his PSP waiting for him. He'd even gone through the tedious process of loading the game and paused it on the opening screen so Matt wouldn't have to.

"Near, have I told you lately that I love you."

The pale boy smiled at him, but didn't have time to say anything before Light's little sister rushed into the room.

"Matt-kun, it's been so long!"

Matt wasn't exactly sure when assisting in someone's kidnapping became a prerequisite to friendship, but apparently it was. Sayu gave him a quick hug and smiled warmly at him.

"Well, if it isn't the Devil's little sister. You're as pretty as ever."

He chuckled when her small fist came in contact with his shoulder "Matt! Stop flirting! Mello might try to shoot you again."

Matt grinned, "She's got your number, Mello."

"Oh, shut it..." Mello answered as he slipped behind a screen to change. "Have I mentioned lately that I hate my job."

"What happened?" Sayu asked, rolling a bottle of solvent under the screen.

"Thanks." Mello walked out adjusting his leather, "Stupid coach groped me."

"What did you do?" Sayu wanted to know as she helped Matt get the last of the glue off of Mello's face.

"Stupid bastard got away with it. He said he thought I was going to slip." Mello's tone let everyone know what total bullshit he thought that was.

"That sucks. I hope he gets fired or sued or something."

Mello actually smiled at Sayu for wanting to defend him. "How did your day go, Matt?"

"Oh, I made some friends, school lunch was horrible, and I think the new Kira is trying to kill me..."

"Matt, we are going back to the SPK building, and you are going to tell me exactly what happened." It could only mean trouble when Mello's voice went perfectly level like that.

They rode the underground monorail that had been installed back to the main building in silence. Only the occasional shuddering breath from Mello reminded him not to even try to lighten the mood with a joke.

"Found it." Matt announced, pulling up the file of Jessica Ridley, one of the murdered cheerleaders. "She was dating Rick when she died."

Mello looked at Near for a long moment, "The killings of the girls are immediate, but the boys are being used for an extended time."

Near nodded, "Also, Mello, the girls are forced manually while 'Kira' uses the Death Note to control the boys."

"Matt, did you bring me a DNA sample?" Mello demanded, "I need to test something."

Matt fished the zip-lock bag out of his pocket, "You're lucky the guy chews gum..."

A regular crime lab would take weeks to get the results of a DNA test, but when you have enough money to buy half of New York- State, not city- more effective methods can be used. Mello was staring so intently at the printout in his hand that Matt started to worry. "Mello?"

"Tell me what you see." Suddenly Matt found himself with a face-full of printout. He laid gloved hands over Mello's and eased it back until he could see.

"They don't match, Mello."

"Exactly, there are two Canadian Kiras." Mello stood and began to pace. The leather of his pants made small sounds where it rubbed against itself.

"What now, Mello?" Near asked softly, those captivating eyes darting briefly to Matt.

"I don't know. Matt's in danger now. It's reasonable to assume that Christiens doesn't know Matt's real name, yet. That could change at any time if he makes the eye trade." Mello sat suddenly and steepled his fingers in a way that reminded Matt of the villains in old comic books. His chocolate was conspicuously absent.

Matt covered those hands with his own, anything to erase the guilt in his blond lover's eyes. "Mello, it's a risk I have to take. We'll just have to stop them before they can figure out that Matthew Nolan isn't my real name."

"Matt, I wouldn't survive your death."

"Humans are so amusing..." Light's shinigami, Ryuk, was floating just inside the door, "What're you gonna do now, Mihael? Tick-Tock, every minute you waste is another minute closer to them finding out Mail's real name."

"The eye trade." Mello answered resolutely, "I'll know instantly who the Canadian Kira is, and I can kill him."

"You can't. Agent 'Lidner' owns my Death Note now." Ryuk was grinning like a big, floating shark. "Try again."

"I hate you more than I hate Ran." Mello muttered. Matt hadn't even had time to protest Mello trying to trade away half his life, and he was already on a different subject.

"I'll make the trade, then." All three boys turned to see Lidner standing in the doorway, looking as resolute as Mello had moments before.

"No!" Mello protested at the same time as Ryuk said, "Done."

Lidner's eyes widened and the pupil contracted then she took two hesitant steps forward and laid her hand against Mello's cheek, looking at something above his head. "Mihael Keehl," She whispered, "Oh, God." Her head dropped to his shoulder and she looked for all the world like someone had just run over her best friend or her dog, or maybe both.

Matt laid one hand gently on her shoulder. "What is it?"

"Nothing, just... I always thought Mello would... Just..."

"At least I'll be young and pretty?" Mello ventured, easing her back into a chair.

Lidner nodded numbly, "Young and beautiful..."

Mello stood silent for a long time, absorbing what he'd just been told. Near had turned away, and it took Matt a moment to realize his shoulders were shaking, he was crying.

Mello sat down to dinner that night and seemed to ignore the looks he was getting from the other members of the team. "I'm not afraid." He whispered, his gloved fingers caressing his crucifix as Matt watched. "But I don't want to know how long I have. It would affect my performance."

Matt looked around the faces at the table. Light was looking away, pained. L's eyes were softer than he'd ever seen them, glistening with tears he wouldn't shed. Lidner's face was blank, shocked and Matsuda had a single tear glistening on his cheek. Gevanni's eyes were closed. Becca, Sayu, and Miss Yagami were sobbing and hugging each other brokenly. Near looked so empty that Matt wanted to die, as if the thought of Mello dying didn't do that to him already.

The only person at the table who didn't look ready to fall apart was Antonia. The old lady looked like she was turning something over in her head. Finally, she looked up at the shinigami floating a few feet away, "Ran, you said that Rem was trying to save Misa when she died?"

"Yes... By writing the name of the person who would have killed her, Jealous extended her life the first time, at the cost of his life. Rem was doing the same thing."

"If someone killed the person who tried to kill Mello?"

"He would live and his life would be extended."

"Thank you, Ran." The old lady held a plate of apple pie toward the shinigami, "Come have dinner with us."

At this point, everyone at the table was staring in shocked silence.

"I knew I liked you for a reason..." Mello grinned, and everyone started to speak at once after that. It was too early to celebrate, but it was also too early to plan the funeral.

Later, in their room, Near was holding onto Mello like a lifeline. Matt had to ease his arms apart so he could hug Mello, too.

"I love you both." Mello said solemnly, "I won't willingly leave you, but I want to know something important, just in case."

"What is it?" Near asked, just as solemn.

"I never planned to live this long. I was ready to throw my life away during the Kira investigation. I need you to promise me that you'll keep on living... Take care of each other, no matter what. The world needs an L."

"I promise, Mello." Near whispered.

"Anything for you." Matt added.

Near wandered off just before bedtime and Matt had a hard time getting Mello to sleep. Near was slipping into bed with them just as Matt himself started to drift off.

I had you scared for a second there, didn't I? I hate leaving you on a cliff hanger, but I'll get the next chapter out as soon as humanly possible. Please review, It doesn't take that long and It'll make me happy. Thank you for reading this far,


	12. Chapter 12

I think this is the longest chapter so far, and the one with the most warnings. I'm sorry it took so long, I had to get my creative license reinstated. I must have re-written it fifteen times before I decided I didn't completely hate it.

For the record, I still don't own Death Note. Would any nice, rich person like to buy it for me?

Also, FYI. Bondage, and various other 'kinky' activities mean different things to different people, but in order for them to be enjoyable, the people involved have to trust each other immensely and if you really love your partner(s), it can be an amazing bonding experience.

Okay, WARNINGS: Gore; a brief kiss between Matt and Light; Another between Light and Near; explicit, kinky MxMxN sex; Traumatizing an OC. If you don't want to read the explicit material, skip to the very end once you get to it. I summarized the important stuff there.

Near was gone again when Matt woke up. "Mello..." He muttered sleepily, patting the bed in search of the blonde, "Where's Near?"

"I don't know..." Mello snarled, "He's sneaking around way too much. Have you seen my gun?"

"No, sorry. You sure you didn't leave it somewhere?"

"Hell, I don't know. Which way is up?"

Matt chuckled and kissed Mello firmly, "It's okay, we'll look for it later."

Near was still missing when they left for school and no one on the team had seen him.

'Tiny' was still a bitch, but during first period, Matt talked circles around him until he was doubting everything from his self-image to his existence. "...So, Tiny, that's why white and black are the same thing. They are both the presence and absence of all color." He concluded, just as the bell rang.

"Matt, dude, I think you made my brain melt back at the whole, 'If you can only know for sure that you exist, how do you know that your life isn't just a complicated dream? Who can you ask?' part. Seriously, Matt, you've given that way too much thought." George moaned, "We're not studying advanced philosophy. I don't even know what bodily orifice you pulled that out of, but I think you seriously screwed up the psychology teacher."

Matt laughed, "But it was worth it. I thought Tiny was going to roll into the fetal position and cry."

George laughed right along with him.

By third period, Matt wasn't sure if he should worry more about Near or Mello, and by lunch, he was convinced he should be more concerned about Near. Then Mello called him on his cell.

"Hey, Matt. You going to talk to the coach?" The blonde's voice reminded him.

"Ya, Beth, I'm going. Are you at lunch?" He asked as calmly as he could.

"No, I went outside to eat. I thought I saw Rick come out here and decided I would talk to him."

'Oh, Fuck!' Was the first thought to cross his mind, "Go back inside. Now!" Before Mello could even protest, he heard the solid thump and the sound of air being forcibly expelled from lungs, then he heard the clatter of the cell phone hitting the ground. "Beth! Oh God, Beth, are you there?" He was already running when he heard the gunshot

Matt beat the other students outside by a couple seconds, just in time to avoid the automatic lock-down. As he rounded a grove of trees, he stopped in stunned horror. Mello was laying on the ground, covered in blood. Rick was slouched over him, the top of his head completely missing and a baseball bat clutched in his hand, but the most shocking sight was Near. He was standing at the far end of the clearing, holding Mello's gun in a two-handed shooting stance, his eyes wide and frantic. The tiny cross on its chain swayed with Near's shaking body. "Is he okay, Matt?"

Matt's heart stopped in his chest. The only other time he'd seen Mello so vulnerable was right after he got his scars. His feet were moving him before his mind could catch up; he dropped to his knees beside his blonde lover and pulled him into his arms. "I'll take care of him, get the hell out of here before the police show up."

Near gave a shaky nod and ran two steps before Lidner caught him and lifted him into her arms. "He'll be okay." She whispered, and took off toward what Matt knew was a nearby hideout.

"Wake up, Sunshine. Please wake up..." Matt murmured against Mello's temple.

"'m awake..." Mello blinked his eyes open, and gave a little groan. "Wha' happened?"

"Rick attacked you, and Near shot him."

"Why did he attack me?" Mello demanded, "You shouldn't be able to have someone kill another person with the Note!"

"We'll figure it out later." Matt promised, pulling him a little closer when the first officer came around the edge of the woods.

Explaining what had happened was kind of hard, because Matt didn't know and Mello had been unconscious, but the fact that Mello was bleeding from his scalp really helped their case. The fact that Rick had a few of his shining gold locks tangled around his fingers pretty much cemented it.

"Does she really have to make a statement, officer? She can't remember anything." Matt asked, when Mello started openly sobbing. Was he seriously having a breakdown? "And I didn't see anything. I just found them like I told you..."

"Do you have someone who can pick you up?" The older man asked, giving him the 'good cop' act; or maybe he really was a good cop, one can never tell.

"I can call my brother. I'm not sure if my mom is still at work..."

"And what about her?" The officer inclined his greying head toward Mello.

"Well, um, I thought she could just come home with me..."

"Where's her mother?" The raised eyebrow was starting to worry Matt.

"Working late. Please, we're on her emergency forms."

Finally, the officer nodded, "Fine, kid, call your mom. I still recommend medical treatment..."

"Matty's mom used to be a nurse..." 'Beth' sniffed, doe-eyed and pitiable. It made Matt think of how Near acted while he was sick. "I'm really scared of hospitals."

Miss Yagami, alias Miss Nolan, showed up shortly after Matt called Light. "Honey, are you okay?" She wrapped a coat around Mello, "We can't have you going into shock, you poor thing." Then she turned to Matt, "Your brother has been worried sick ever since Evelyn called and told me she heard shots. We didn't know if something happened to you! And your poor sister wanted me to rush right over, but I thought it would be better to wait for some kind of news. I'm so glad you're okay."

"Mom!" Matt protested, "Please, I just want to go home."

Miss 'Nolan' turned back to the officer, "Is that all you needed?"

"Yes, Ma'am, You just take care of those kids."

"Thank you, officer."

Mello was sprawled on the couch twenty minutes later, a chocolate bar in his hand, a bandage on his head and a hot compress on his ribs, when Near walked in.

The pale boy laid his head against the blonde's thigh, and spoke the words Matt had been choking on since the incident, "I thought... I thought I was going to lose you."

Matt leaned over the back of the couch and moved the hand he'd been resting casually on Mello's hip to pet Near's milky curls.

"I thought I was going to lose me, too" Mello admitted, lacing his fingers through Matt's and into Near's hair. "I think we were all afraid, but you saved me. Thank you, Near."

Near gave him a small smile, "I'm just glad I made it on time, Mello."

"Ya?" The blonde gave a shaky chuckle, "So am I." His hand slipped down to Near's shoulder and he pulled him up for a kiss. "So damn glad."

"You should be more concerned with how you plan to protect yourselves in the future. It would be a terrible waste to survive this incident only to die because CK figured out your name." Lidner was leaning in the doorway and as she spoke she walked over to the stack of files left half-sorted on the bed. "Which ones are your most likely suspects?"

"Definitely the soccer coach and the cheer coach. Both of them exhibit inappropriate sexual behavior toward their students. They also tend to talk often and secretively. Because we've already proven that there is more than one CK, they are the most likely suspects. After that, the PE teacher flirts with anything on two legs. The english lit. teacher for the eleventh grade had a kid who got hit by a drunk driver. The driver was a cheerleader; though that wouldn't explain the rape, or what happened to Rick, so I would say the chances of him being the Canadian Kira are very low. The anatomy teacher implied to a small group of female students that his penis is larger than most; which I seriously doubt. Finally, the sex ed. teacher informed the class that it's perfectly normal to be bisexual, and while I'm inclined to agree with him, that puts him on the list of suspects." Mello listed off without pause, "I haven't met all of the teachers, but those stood out during my investigation. Feel free to look over the other files if they aren't CK."

She gave a sharp nod and picked up the first file. "Mello, I always knew you were good."

Mello caught the file she tossed to him and held it up for Matt to see. "Congrats, your coach is a serial killer."

"Joy..." Matt muttered. "Mello, you won't just kill him... you rarely kill anyone who's still useful... What's the plan?"

Mello levered himself off of the couch and insinuated himself along Matt's side. "My favorite rule," He purred, and Matt shuddered when he felt the wet warmth of Mello's lips caress along his ear, "The Death Note will be rendered useless if the victim's name is misspelled four times."

"It would really suck to be a dyslexic Kira." Matt joked, pulling Mello into his arms and sitting down. If the blonde kept playing with his ear, he wouldn't be able to think. "But, seriously, isn't there another rule that goes with that one? If you spell it wrong on purpose or something?"

Of coarse, best laid plans and all that, Mello straddled him and kissed his neck. He seemed too smug for someone who'd just been proven wrong. "Be a hell of a lot easier if he was dyslexic... But you're right, so I guess we're just going to have to liberate the Death Note from him by force." Matt could hear the barely repressed joy in Mello's voice.

"Which can be arranged. Apparently, not only did I fail to kill L..." Light walked into the room, followed by L, then, much to Matt's surprise, his all time favorite thief.

"Wedy! I thought you were dead!" Mello only looked a little put out by being dumped unceremoniously onto the couch when Matt got up suddenly. "Why didn't you contact us? What about Aiber?"

"Easy Matt. Hang on a second." Wedy laughed, tapping him on the nose. "You have no patience at all."

"Come on! I haven't seen you in over three years. Give!" Matt demanded, chuckling when he realized that despite those three years, he still wasn't taller than her.

"Aiber's running a little late. It seems you didn't need our help up till now anyway." She commented, looking around at his surveillance and hacking equipment.

"Ya, well I had a really good teacher." He responded, giving her a wink.

"Am I missing something?" Light asked, looking back and forth between them.

Mello smirked around a chocolate bar, "Wedy taught Matt everything he knows, although I think he slept through most of it."

"They let a thief teach L's heirs?" Light asked.

Matt shot him a grin, entirely too amused by Light's surprise, "You're just jealous because you never had hot teachers growing up."

Light looked floored for a second, then slowly, he started to laugh. Once he'd regained his composure, he asked, "So, Wedy, just how did you survive?"

Wedy smiled, and Matt caught a glimpse of too sharp canines before she went back to her usual mysterious teasing. "A lady never gives away her secrets."

"You can't steal them from her, either." Matt thought back on his disastrous attempts to bug her back at Wammy's. "Believe me, I've tried."

"Don't feel too bad Matt, I have way more experience than you in these things." Wedy smiled, "That's why I was able to bug yours and Mello's room back at the 'House' without your knowledge."

Matt felt his face flame red. When did she do that? What had she heard?

Mello gave a throaty laugh. "And yet you never told Roger. Loyalty among thieves?"

"You two were just too cute together. I couldn't let a stuffy old man ruin that." Wedy cooed, petting Mello's unscarred cheek with one fingertip, Mello glared. "Besides, the two of you are like Aiber 'n me, you walk both sides of the law."

"Please don't teach them to walk too far past that line, Wedy." L admonished her from where he stood at Light's side.

Wedy started to nod just as someone's phone rang. L held out his hand to Wedy and she pulled his phone out of her purse with a grin too smug to be guilt.

"This is L." He answered with the same air of authority he'd always possessed. Matt watched the detective's eyes widen and felt a sense of dread, not much could unnerve L. "Is he still there, Miss Yagami... Mum... Yes, I'll send them right away... Please keep him busy..."

"Mum?" Matt mouthed to Light, his curiosity aroused.

Light smiled mysteriously and mouthed back, "Mom knows."

L snapped the cell phone shut and turned to Wedy. "Aiber is arriving tomorrow morning, correct?" He frowned when she nodded, "That isn't good. Mello, I know this is your case, but I think it would be for the best if Light-kun and I joined you tonight."

Matt could see the tension in every line of Mello's body, "What's happened?"

"The soccer coach wants to take the two of you out..."

This had to be, by far, the most undercover work anyone on the team, Aiber excepted, had ever done. Matt stood in a pre-club store, staring up at a wall of leather and chains that reminded him of Mello's closet. "I thought you told my mom we were going to dinner, Coach."

"What our parents don't know, won't hurt us, Matt!" George exclaimed from his spot next to the coach. Matt had a hard time believing that, especially with the way that Coach Christiens was looking at 'Beth'.

In the end, the Coach chose their outfits for them. George seemed to think this was the single coolest thing ever as he walked out of the dressing room wearing what amounted to a leather thong and a collar. Matt was better off in leather shorts and velvet straps.

"I'm not sure how I feel about this skirt." Mello (Beth) commented, pulling at the strip of leather that barely covered his ass, "Can I have something a little longer?"

The Coach laughed and acquiesced, handing over a skirt made of leather strips, held together by silver chains. Mello made a small huffing sound, but didn't bother to complain.

Light and L were already in the club when they arrived; Light stretched across a metal table on his stomach while L wiped down his exposed skin with disinfectant. He would never have recognized them if he hadn't known what they'd be wearing. There was a thick chain connecting a collar around Light's neck to a cuff around L's wrist.

Matt found that he couldn't tear his eyes away even when L cracked a whip across Light's exposed back. It shocked him that Light's groan spiked through him, straight to his groin, when the other screams and pleas that filled the club did nothing for him. This was either something to repress for all he was worth, or it could just be that most of the other couples were female or het... that could explain it... girl moans, yuck...

"See something you like?" Christiens whispered in his ear, and what a surprise, suddenly his cock wasn't interested at all anymore.

Matt faked a nervous smile, "The one in the muzzle's kinda hot..."

"Oh... He is, Matty! I kinda like his... sub... too." 'Beth' gushed, "It would be so hot to have a foursome with them!"

"Hey... The little lady knows what she likes." Another man had materialized from a door to the right. "Well, Bobby, you know how to pick em. Taking your usual room?"

The Coach smiled a truly sick smile. "Ya. Go invite the two hot boys over there to join us."

Matt was really starting to wonder where Near was, but he was almost shocked when his pale lover stepped through the door. He looked four years older, and it had nothing to do with makeup. The clothes he was wearing were beautiful; the red and black silk trench coat swirled around his knees like a living thing and the mesh of his shirt allowed for brief glimpses of pale nipples.

The Coach eyed him appreciatively, "Now there's a hot piece of ass. I wonder if it's as tight as it looks."

Matt wanted to rip the man's balls off. Near was too damn good to be treated like a cheap whore. He should be respected and loved.

The room was gaudy as hell, in fact, it looked a damn lot like hell. There were things hanging on the walls that not even Matt, with his long and varied history as Mello's bondage partner, could identify. In the center of the room was a faux stone "alter", presumably for virgin sacrifices.

L glanced around, then promptly introduced himself as 'Li' and Light as 'Raitaro'. Near introduced himself as 'Nick'.

Light was wearing a mask that covered from his forehead to his nose. "So, you looking for a casual fling?" Light murmured, his lips caressing Matt's.

Yep, that interest was definitely back. Being a teenager was hell, even if you did happen to have two really hot partners that were entirely exclusive, and entirely willing... It was especially hellish when you could get an erection for the man who's sleeping with your childhood hero... who, by the way, also turns you on.

Light kissed like it was a battle. His tongue spared with Matt's like he had to win or he'd die. When Matt pulled away, Light nipped him in retaliation. "Don't ever pull away first." The older boy growled around Matt's lower lip, then he dove back into the kiss with a vengeance.

Near pulled Light away with a hand in his hair and yanked him around for a kiss. The five inch platforms he was wearing were probably the only thing that even let him reach Light's mouth without stretching. Their kiss was sloppy, full of nips and tongues, and all the frustration they'd caused each other as enemies.

Both L and Mello were watching with barely contained jealousy and obvious arousal. Matt felt a little bad for them. The entire situation was one he'd have rather done without, but as long as they kept it to a casual make out session, it would be okay. Light was hot, but he didn't feel like that toward him.

The coach whispered something in L's ear and he nodded. "Raitaro..."

Light pulled away from them and went to his lover. After a whispered conversation, he turned back to them, "Matt, are you a slave or a master?"

Matt thought it over quickly; if the shit hit the fan, Mello would do anything necessary to ensure their safety, Near would be able to stay calm and take control of the situation, so could L and both L and Light could fight like sons of bitches. There was only one logical conclusion, "I'm a slave."

Matt thought twice about his decision when he was tied up naked over the alter. Damn was it uncomfortable. He would have given just about anything for one of the metal tables from the other room. The disinfectant was cold, the rags were rough, and of all the people he trusted in the room, Mello was the only one he knew had actively participated in BDSM before and he had to pretend he hadn't.

Light lifted something down from a shelf and Matt heard the familiar sound of crackling electricity. He had a pretty good idea what Light was holding, but he tried not to appear visibly excited. If he was right, he was about to get a taste of one of his favorite toys... One Mello had refused to use on him once Kira killed his Mafia. The refusal had been rational, but still... The risk was slim to none since they both knew that Matt had a healthy heart.

"Is that a Violet Wand?" Near asked, reaching for it carefully. It was as good as him saying 'Let me use it, I don't want you playing with my lover.' if you translated it from Near-ese into regular English. Matt liked that, it made him feel loved.

"You know how to use it?" Light asked like he was asking a stranger as he placed the blue-violet glass tube into Near's hand.

Near ran it across his own palm briefly, giving a pleased little moan, then nodded, "I know how, but I've never tried electrical play before."

Matt was practically vibrating with excitement by the time Near brought the tip of the wand close enough to his skin for the first spark to arc to him. It felt like waves shivering under his skin. He arched his back, practically begging for more.

Near trailed the pleasant shower of sparks up over his nipples, then down, just below his navel. Matt loved it there, always had.

"Oh, more... More..." He demanded, trying to find a grip with his heels so he could lift his hips. Light turned up the voltage and the feeling morphed to a pleasantly vulgar mix of feeling like he'd piss himself and feeling like he'd come. "Yesss... like that..."

Near leaned down and licked him, giving a little groan himself when an errant spark jumped to his tongue. "It feels gooood..." Near purred in his ear, making little circles around his navel with the wand.

"Yes... yes..." Matt agreed in breathy moans, "So good... too good... Much more... and... and..."

"It's okay... You can come for us... Show us what you look like..." Who knew Near was so good at talking dirty? He made such polite phrasing sound so arousing... Then he lowered the wand the tiny bit it took to have Matt seeing stars.

Matt wasn't sure how many men could orgasm just from electrical stimulation, probably didn't want to know, but he could and did, long, hot bursts of semen erupting from his body to coat his stomach and drip down onto the alter below him. The best part was that Near didn't move the wand away until he finished, and the electricity following the path of his seed. "Mmm... That was... incredible..." the red-head muttered, flexing the muscles along his torso languidly, "You're good at that... Should do it more often..."

True to form, the Coach just had to ruin the moment by grinning lecherously down at Matt, "I want a taste."

Near brought the wand up inches from his face and he jumped back.

"Hey, watch it with that thing!" Christiens protested, "I have a weak heart!"

"You don't have any heart at all... You shouldn't do this shit to kids..." Mello growled, motioning from Matt, who was somewhere between post-orgasmic bliss and outright fear, to George, who was cowering in the corner. "I should let Near turn that thing up all the way and fry you."

"N-Near?" The coach stammered, clearly confused and not taking well to the thought of being fried.

"I guess I can take consolation in the fact that L's going to arrest you now, so don't worry, you can live for a little while longer." Mello finished as he used a small bottle of solvent to peel off "Beth's" face.

Apparently Coach Christiens did know who L was, because his eyes darted from face to face in a panic.

"You won't be able to kill us." Near told him rationally, "You don't know our names, and we won't let you use the Death Note. Just give up."

The first CK surrendered like the cowering, sniveling fool that he was, and was led away in cuffs. Gevanni and Matsuda searched the room and took anything that wasn't in its original packaging as evidence and Becca took the woman suit with her when they left.

"We'll give you some privacy." Light muttered, flushed all the way to the tips of his ears; without the mask, it was easy to see how much their little 'performance' had effected him. Then he pulled L out of the room by his wrist. Even through the closed door, they could hear him demanding a private room.

"There's a 'you use it, you buy it' rule in place, and we have unlimited funds." Mello murmured suggestively, his fingers tracing over the boxes on the shelves. "They have toys in this place that I never even thought to look for... This, though, I think you'll like."

Near pulled off his remaining boot, looking way beyond happy to have them off, then turned to Mello, "What is it?"

"An electro stimulation catheter." Mello held out the box for Near to examine.

Near didn't bother to take it, he just pulled off his coat, hopped up on the alter beside Matt, and spread his legs. "I trust you, Mello."

"That's good," Mello murmured against Near's ear as he helped the pale boy out of his remaining clothes, "This is about trust. I want you to understand that I don't want you to stay quiet if something makes you uncomfortable. The safeword is 'red'. If you say 'red', I'll stop and we won't ever have to do it again. And if you say 'yellow', I'll wait and you can tell me what you don't like, okay?"

"Okay..." Near's breath hitched on the end of the word and his charcoal eyes rolled when the blonde poured cool disinfectant over his erection and wiped it clean with a sterile rag, then he watched with wide eyes while Mello lubricated his urethra.

Matt could feel Near shivering where the pale boy's shoulders rested against his chest. "Relax, Near, it's okay. It feels really good, I promise..." He whispered, unhooked the panic snap that held cuff around his wrist and brought his arm down to pet Near's hair.

Near started to relax, only to tense back up and bite down hard on his lower lip when Mello started to insert the catheter.

"You okay?" The blonde asked, looking up into Near's eyes.

"It feels... really weird..." Near muttered, flushing. "Do a little more..."

An inch and a half later, Near was panting heavily, eyes closed, collapsed across Matt's torso.

"Feel good yet?" Matt asked, reaching down to rub one of Near's tempting pink nipples.

Near answered with a little groan, his head lolling to one side.

"I'll take that as a yes..." Matt laughed, freeing his other wrist and curling his arms around Near a bit awkwardly. He couldn't help a moan himself when he looked down to check Mello's progress, because the sight of the catheter being inserted was just too fucking hot.

Mello was doing it painfully slow, probably afraid that if he screwed this up, Near would never let it happen again, but he was almost done. "Near, look at me..." He prompted, and once those foggy eyes focused on him, he pushed the catheter the rest of the way in and turned it on.

Near made a noise Matt had never heard before and his nails bit into Matt's arms.

"Near..." Once the pale boy's eyes had locked on his again, Mello asked, "Are you okay?"

One of Near's hands pried itself loose to lace with Mello's and he nodded weakly. Matt watched him swallow twice before he could form a semi-coherent sentence. "Feels... so weird... so Good..."

"Kind of inherent to us, huh?" Mello smiled, licking up the pale thigh in front of him, then dipping his head to taste a bit of the pre-come already dripping around the catheter.

"Mph... Mello..." Near let out a high pitched whimper, arching his back as the blond's fingers caressed his balls. Then Mello dropped down to suck on his ankle bone and had Near practically crying with pleasure.

Matt licked at the salty trails tracing down Near's cheeks, "You're so gorgeous like this. I love how much you trust us."

Near whimpered again and turned his head to let Matt kiss him. Mello apparently took the momentary distraction to remove the catheter, because Near's scream was muffled against Matt's mouth as his orgasm took him by surprise. The soft whimpers Near was making, blissed out and curled half-way onto his chest, were enough make Matt's chest tighten with emotion. One look at Mello's face had his groin tightening as well, because, damn, Near's come was forming little droplets in his scars and down his neck. It was fuckin hot.

"Mello... c'mere..." Near murmured, and somehow he got them all positioned so he could suck Mello while Mello sucked Matt.

It was slow and lazy compared to the rest of the evening. Mello licked and sucked in the same slow, almost comforting rhythm Near used on him and brought Matt over the edge gently. Then they all managed to cuddle up on the damn uncomfortable alter until Light and L came to fetch them.

Matt, understandably, did not want to move. It took Light threatening his PS3 to goad him into action. "You really are Evil..." He muttered irritably as he pulled on a pair of regular jeans and wrapped Near in a robe. Mello managed to walk out to the car on his own power, but Near was completely out of it and thus had to be carried.

"Hey, Matt..." Mello commented in a drowsily once they were all clean and tucked into their own bed.

"Ya?" Matt asked, opening one eye slightly.

Mello gave him a subdued grin, "Looks like Near likes electricity as much as you do..."

"Mm-hm..."

He would have sworn he heard Near chuckle, but Hell, he could have been dreaming.

All in all, the day was a success. One of the CKs was safely behind bars, Mello was safe, George wasn't too traumatized, and Wedy managed to steal the Death Note back... Matt suspected he knew which Shinigami it belonged to, but he could wait to find out...

OMG... Done with this chapter... Starting the Next... (Huge sigh of relief) ...TBC...


	13. Chapter 13

Sorry I haven't updated, I'll leave you to it... You know the disclaimer...

Mello woke up slowly the next morning. He was sore and tired and he wanted desperately to hold onto the memory of what they'd done the previous night and not forget a single detail. Near had trusted him, had let him touch him in a way he'd probably never imagined he'd let another person touch him, had performed an act on him without hesitation that Mello knew he was terrified of, and it had all been amazing.

"Mello..." Matt prodded him with a finger, "I know you're awake..."

"Gad, Matt, what are you doing up at this ungodly hour?" He protested, curling closer to Near, who was at least still asleep. The pale boy nuzzled into his chest, much to his secret satisfaction.

"We would be going to school, but it's still closed after yesterday, so we're going to see what Wedy turned up last night..."

Mello groaned, "I hate how you keep using 'we' like that... Don't I at least deserve to sleep in after my near-death experience yesterday?"

"Sorry, Mello... L's orders. He wants the damn book locked up ASAP."

"Let Near sleep a little longer." The blond demanded, before stalking into the bathroom to take care of his morning needs.

Matt was still snickering when he got back. "You're so damn cute." He murmured, kissing Mello's frowning lips, "I know you like to take your time waking up, I'm sorry."

Mello couldn't resist kissing back, or the little smile that tugged at his lips at Matt's insincere apology. "I forgive you... Mostly..."

A small chuckle announced that Near was awake, and once he got ready, they traipsed down to breakfast.

L was curled up in Light's lap, using him like a warm living chair, and Light was sipping hesitantly at a steaming mug of coffee, still half asleep. Across the table, Aiber was having a morning glass of whiskey and looking considerably more awake than everyone else. Wedy, out of respect for Matt kicking the habit, had gone outside for a smoke break, so Lidner was the only other team member at the table.

Mello recognized the Death Note immediately, and cast a quick glance around. "Where the fuck is it, I know it's here."

"Actually," L explained, "Shidoh lost his Death Note to another Shinigami and later regained it, so you won't be able to see him until you touch it."

Mello could feel the evil grin curling his lips as he brushed his fingers over the cover of the Death Note. "Shidoh... It's been a while..."

Shidoh made a small whimpering sound and slouched a bit under his intense gaze.

Mello knew he looked murderous, he didn't care. "Shidoh, Shidoh, Shidoh... How do you like my face? Pretty, isn't it?" He stroked his gloved fingers over the scar, "You failed me you son-of-a-bitch! This is your fault! You sat by and let them MURDER us!"

Matt rested a calming hand on his shoulder; even Ryuk and Ran had moved back from the furious human.

"I just wanted my notebook back." Shidoh whimpered, holding his long, gangly limbs up defensively, "Don't blame me!"

"Fuck you! I'll blame you for the rest of your sickeningly long life! You're fucking lucky that Matt didn't get caught in the crossfire... Believe me, I would find a way to kill you..." Mello snarled.

"Enough, Mello." L said, and by his tone, he expected to be obeyed.

The blonde took a deep breath, let it out, and sat down. "What're we eating?"

"Sayu cooked... She made something for you, Mello." Light answered, pushing a covered plate toward him.

Mello lifted the lid and closed his eyes in bliss when the scent of warm chocolate reached his nose. "Light, I'm in love with your sister." He murmured around a bite of chocolate muffin.

"Mello, I'm sure you're a great guy, but Matt would shoot me if I stole you away." Sayu teased back, placing another plate on the table. "These are for you, Matt. They're cinnamon apple."

"Sayu, you're a goddess. How'd the devil get such a sweet little sister?" Matt asked, hugging her around the waist and giving her a brotherly kiss on the forehead, then taking his seat next to Mello.

Sayu smiled, "You're just a flatterer."

"Maybe, but it gets me laid on a semi-regular basis." Matt winked at her, "Flattery will get you everywhere with Mello."

Mello snorted in amusement, "Watch it, or you'll be getting to know your left hand."

"Naw, Near'll play with me if you won't." Matt replied, pulling Near against his side. "Won't ya, Near?"

Near just looked at him; a lazy, knowing look that made Matt shift in his seat. Hell, Mello felt like adjusting himself and the look wasn't even aimed at him. Since when had sexy been an adjective for Near? If he really thought about it, Near had always been beautiful, pretty described him well, handsome now that he'd grown into his body, but sexy was new. Near had always had an air of coldness that kept him from really being a sensual creature, but now something had changed...

"Can you tone the sexual tension down some, we haven't even finished breakfast yet..." Aiber asked, his calm, reasonable voice breaking Mello from his thoughts.

"Oh, hush. I thought it was pretty hot." Sayu smirked at them.

Mello glared in return, but Matt winked at her and Sayu broke down in a fit of giggles.

After breakfast, they went down to the holding cells to question the Canadian Kira. L stopped in front of the single occupied cell and looked in impassively, "Hello, C. Kira, I am L."

"L-look, I'm not Kira! You got the wrong guy!" Christiens protested, wrapping his hands around the bars.

Mello actually found it pretty funny and said as much, "You're the brains of the operation? Laughable!"

"Who the fuck are you, anyway?" The man in the cell asked, plaintively.

"This is Mello," L answered, "One of my heirs. He is in charge of this case."

Mello plastered on his best I'm-gonna-make-your-life-hell grin and stepped up next to L. "I think we should all be introduced... properly... The pale kid is Near, we're equal as L's heirs. The one with the dorky goggles is Matt, my partner. The other pretty blondes are Lidner and Wedy, and the guy next to them is Aiber. And over there, chained to L? That's Kira." Mello found that introducing Light as Kira was sickly satisfying and the way the coach cowered when he did was even more so. "So, now that we all know each other, I know how you controlled Rick. You wrote Rick's name, followed by: 'Has sex with his soccer coach, then fears that the act will be discovered and tries to cover it up. Ends up dead after several days.' What I want to know is why? Actually, I want to know all of the whys in this case but I'll settle for why you had him try to kill me."

"I... I didn't..."

"I don't believe you. Why and how? Tell me." Mello snarled, snapping off a piece of chocolate with his teeth.

The Coach was sweating, "L-look, I don't know what you're talking about."

Mello let his snarl morph into a vicious smile... "Don't you know... Near and Lidner are the only two in this room who aren't criminals in one way or another? The rest of us aren't against torture to find out what we want to know, and I doubt they'd object after seeing what you've done... You get off on pain, on the fear and the self-loathing of your victims... There are horrible things that can be done to a man..." When Christens remained silent, he decided to elaborate. "The humiliation of catheterization, unable to control your own bodily functions... There are chemicals that do that too... Maybe an aphrodisiac while you're hung up by your arms from the ceiling with no one to relieve you... The unbearable pain of castration... but really, those are tame... and I'm creative..."

CK broke. "No... no please... I... Why I wanted him to kill you, right? Because my stupid partner kept killing the girlfriends... I was going to have your... have Matt next, but I needed a fall guy."

"Good... Now, how?"

"I told him you knew what he'd done. Naturally, he was desperate to keep you quiet."

"Good boy..." Mello began to hum Dies Irae as he turned and walked away. "Kill him, Shidoh."

The shinigami obeyed without question, using the Death Note that had been 'loaned' to him, Ran's Death Note. Lidner now owned two of the Death Notes currently in the human world, even if she would never be allowed to use them.

Mello didn't look back when he heard the sound of liquid hitting the pavement... The sound of a man choking to death on his own blood. It was already a sound he knew too well. For all his desire to be better, he was still too cold, still too cruel...

Near found him sulking in the garage. It really didn't take his fellow genius long to find him at all, but he didn't expect that it would; he wasn't hiding. He'd come down to work on his bike, since he had time... It had nothing to do with his mood... He couldn't even convince himself... "Hey, Near..."

"Mello, he confessed." Near immediately reminded him, "He would have died one way or another."

"Do you read minds?" Mello asked bitterly... "Damn it, Near, I killed him in anger! What if there was something else? What if I got one of us killed because I didn't wait?"

"It's too late now, Mello. You just have to believe it was the right thing to do." Near said with conviction, "If you start doubting yourself, you'll only be miserable." Then the pale boy wrapped his arms around the blonde and cuddled him, let him hide his face against his shoulder, and rubbed his back in a way Mello found immensely soothing.

"Thank you, Near." Mello murmured, proud that his voice was steady despite the tears in his eyes.

The two boys just sat on the floor of the garage, holding each other, until Matt came to find them.

"Hey, how ya doin', Mel?" Matt asked, kneeling behind him and taking him from Near, "You're gonna hurt your knees kneeling on the concrete like that."

Mello gave him a watery smile. "I'm fine, Matt. Let's go get a drink and celebrate before we have to go face down Number Two."

"Now you're talkin', Mel." Matt gave him a bright, heart-stopping smile. "I made sure they got Chocolate Vodka when they stocked the bar."

Mello managed to drink until everything was running in bright streamers every time he moved. "Matt... Where's tha s'chair?"

"Mello!" Matt protested, pulling him by his hand over to the black-leather couch against the wall. "Jesus, how much did you drink?"

"Two or three?" Mello half-asked, blinking up at Matt and waiting for his brain to catch up with the rest of him.

"Bottles!?" Matt shouted, causing Mello to flinch back against the cushions. "Sorry, Mel, but damn... Didn't you stop to worry about alcohol poisoning? Come on."

Things really blurred when Matt dragged him down the hall to the bathroom and he barely managed to make it to the toilet before most of his liquid lunch came back up.

Near wiped his face with a cool rag once he was done heaving and his lovers tucked him into bed.

Then Matt sat down on the edge of the mattress, looking entirely too serious for Mello's liking, "Look, Mello, this is the first time I've ever seen you get drunk. I'm worried... seriously worried. How and why did you drink yourself stupid in the time it took me to finish a glass?"

Mello shook his head. He was too hazy and tired to think straight.

"Mello, tell me what's going on! Is this another one of your friggin self-esteem issues rearing its ugly head? Because if it is, I swear to God, Mello!" Mello flinched again as Matt's voice rose in volume, "I love you! I trust you with everything I am! If you can't trust yourself, you're going to get one of us killed... Please, lover, please just believe in yourself for once... You always make the right choice... make the choice that keeps us alive..." Matt's voice got softer at the end, whispered words between muffled sniffles against Mello's ear.

Damn he hated it when Matt cried. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Matt... I'm scared... I'm fucking scared that something's going to happen to you or Near and it'll be all my damn fault." Mello absolutely refused to acknowledge the moisture on his face as tears... Had to be something else...

"It's okay, Mello... You don't have to carry this cross alone... We're right here with you." Near's calm, quiet words soothed him more than anything else could have, lulled him into relaxation. "You can lean on us whenever that burden becomes too much to bear, let us take some of the weight."

"Thank you, Near..." Mello sometimes forgot how strong Near really was. Somewhere in a dark corner of his subconscious, he managed to wonder if Near stole his place all those years ago to protect him from himself. "Carry me for awhile?"

Near and Matt curled around him, petting him and rocking him gently, then Near started to sing and Mello could only compare his voice to an angel, even though he knew he'd think about it later... and curse himself for the cliche. "Kak uzor na ogne. Snova proshloe rjadom. Kto-to pel pesnju mne. Zinmij vecher kogda-to. Slovno v proshlom ozhilo. Chi'ix-to berezhinix ruk teplo..." Russian... He immediately recognized the song..."Once Upon a December"... He couldn't remember what movie it was from, but it reminded him of his mom, and now it would make him think of Near... It must have taken forever to memorize... Then Matt added his voice and Mello couldn't help feeling cherished.

The last thought he managed before he was lulled to sleep was that if he'd known putting his trust in Near would make him smile like that, he'd have done it a long time ago.

Mello was warm and comfortable when he woke up again later that afternoon, cradled by Matt's body the way no pillow ever could, Near's fingers clutched in the sweatshirt he didn't remember changing into.

"Hey..." He whispered around the sand-paper in his throat. His voice was husky, and not in a good way.

"Feeling better?" Near asked, while Matt reached for a glass of water on the night-stand.

Mello had never been so glad for any liquid in his life, and downed the whole glass greedily before looking up at Near through his bangs. "God... How did you know?... How could you... Oh fuck it..." He paused, trying to find the words... Finally settled for, "Ya... I feel better."

Near smiled and leaned into him and they shared a slow, sloppy kiss, neither of them bothering with technique, then Matt tried to join in and it ended up even sloppier, even more satisfying and Mello tried very hard to hold back the giggle when Matt missed on the second kiss and licked his cheek instead, but it was a failed attempt.

Once he'd reigned in his wild laughter, he leaned forward and licked Near's nose. The giggles started up again when Near licked his chin in retaliation, and he decided he deserved some revenge of his own, so he swiped his tongue up the side of Matt's face. Then Matt pounced on him and his light giggles dissolved into a full on throaty laugh as the red-head tongue-bathed his scars, starting where they crossed the bridge of his nose.

"Mello..." Lidner swung open the door, paused, blinked... blinked again, closed the door, opened it again, blinked one last time and then, finally, dissolved into laughter. "Well... Matsuda did say... that Matt... Was... your dog..."

Mello gave her a carefully blank, slightly condescending look, and very calmly said, "I'll shoot him." Then he grinned in satisfaction when that cut off her laughter like flicking a switch.

"Aw, Mel, chill. I don't mind. I'll be your bitch, you can put me on a leash and everything." Matt soothed, nuzzling under his chin. Then the red-head's voice dropped low enough that only Mello could hear as he whispered in his ear, "I'll lick you everywhere, and nip you, and then I'll bite the back of your neck while I take you on your knees. You like that angle don't you? It lets me get in you deeper..."

Mello felt the blood trying to rush to his face. Lidner was right fucking there and Matt was talking dirty to him. It took every ounce of will power in his body to fight back the blush. He did NOT want her to know what Matt was doing to him with just words... "Matt, you horny bastard, get off!" He hissed, shoving at the gamer's shoulders.

"Whatever you say..." Matt answered, low and husky, then proceeded to hump his leg.

Near looked like this entire fiasco was amusing the hell out of him; wearing the barely there grin that for him translated to hysterical laughter. Mello wasn't sure if he wanted to hit him or kiss him...

"L wants you..." Lidner sure had a way of turning off the fun.

"L..." Mello greeted, not twenty minutes later, "You wanted to see me?"

"Your guest wanted to talk to you." L motioned to include Matt and Near. Thus they were inclined to go visit George...

"Hi, Matt!" The boy called when they walked into the room, "Your name is Matt, right?"

"Ya, my name's Matt." The red-head responded, flopping into the computer chair sitting next to George's bed. "He's Mello and the pale one is Near, my boyfriends..."

"Ohhh..." George sounded awed. "I thought so... You guys were really into each other last night..."

"I'm surprised you don't mind." Mello cut in. "I was expecting shock, maybe disgust..."

George laughed at that, like he was surprised, "Hey, man, I think your gay-dar's busted... I'm bi, I think... I never really experimented..."

Mello nodded... It made sense in a twisted sort of way, "You got your trial by fire last night... watching us perform together. Now what do you think?"

"I think I might be gay for you guys... But don't worry, I'll keep it to a mildly stalkerish level." George grinned at them, "So, if I promise not to reveal your top-secret spy identities, can I leave now?"

L, who was friggin Batman when it came to sneaking up on people, answered before Mello could, "You are free to leave any time you please."

George only jumped a little... Mello was proud of him. L had a tendency to spook people and put them on edge... Not that it wasn't his right, he was the top three detectives in the world...

Back in their room after seeing George off, Mello turned to Matt. "Today was a crap-fest." He commented with no preamble.

Near was apparently in agreement, although he refrained from comment, because he was already in his pajamas and tucked into bed. Matt on the other hand, couldn't seem to resist laughing, "Ya, ya it was, Mel. You want a back-rub?"

Which made everything better. Mello drifted off before his lover even made it past his shoulders.


End file.
